Vierling owners Kristi and Terry Doyle are pictured through the years. The Doyle’s have owned the restaurant since 1985. (Photo courtesy of Lake Superior Community Partnership)

MARQUETTE — The Vierling Restaurant has been a downtown Marquette staple for decades.

The business celebrated its 35th anniversary under current ownership in an informal, socially distant celebration last week in conjunction with the Lake Superior Community Partnership.

Kristi and Terry Doyle purchased the historic building on Jan. 1, 1985 and reopened nine months later as the Historic Vierling Saloon and Sample Room, which sits at the corner of Front and Main streets overlooking Lake Superior.

The Vierling’s history, however, stretches far beyond the last 35 years. The origins of the business come from Martin Vierling, who moved to Marquette in 1862 and opened a retail liquor business six years later.

After the original business was destroyed in the downtown fire of 1868, Vierling built a new location on the corner of Lake Street and Baraga Avenue, but conflict arose in that location as well. In the midst of the iron ore area, proximity of the business to the ore docks wasn’t the most ideal situation. Therefore, Vierling relocated to Front and Main streets in 1883 where the business stands to this day.

Martin Vierling retired in 1890, passing the torch to his son Louis who operated the business until 1917 when Prohibition shut the operation down.

Several businesses operated from the Front and Main location up until the Doyles’ purchase in 1985. Kristi and Terry continue to pay homage to Martin Vierling with historic stained glass and oil paintings from his collection donning the current restaurant. The business also features a 100-year-old oak bar and large windows overlooking Mattson Lower Harbor Park.

In December 1995, the Vierling installed a five-barrel microbrewing system with equipment coming directly from Budapest, Hungary. This made the Vierling one of the first brewpubs in the state of Michigan. The system is capable of producing some of the finest ales and lagers in 155-gallon hand-crafted batches, which ensures fast product turnover and fresh varieties of beer for locals and visitors to enjoy.

The Vierling’s current hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and is located at 119 S. Front St. in downtown Marquette. For more information, visit www.thevierling.com.

To make a reservation, call 906-228-3533.

This information was compiled in a press release sent out by the Lake Superior Community Partnership. For more information on LSCP, visit www.marquette.org or call 906-226-9658.

Ryan Spitza can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248.

His email address is rspitza@miningjournal.net.