Title: Schuler's Restaurant Records Creator: Schuler's (Restaurant) Inclusive dates: 1944-2002 Extent: 18 linear feet (in 20 boxes) Extent: 9 oversize volumes Extent: 1 oversize folder Abstract:
Historic restaurant based in Marshall, Michigan, specializing in American home-style cuisine. Since 1909, the Schuler family has owned and operated this Michigan institution. Records include administrative files, menus, advertising and publicity materials, slides, photographs, videotapes and scrapbooks.
Call number: 05110 Bb 2; Bb Outsize Language: The material is in English Repository: Bentley Historical Library
1150 Beal Ave. Ann Arbor, MI
48109-2113 Phone:
734-764-3482 Fax:
734-936-1333 e-mail:
bentley.ref@umich.edu Home Page: http://www.bentley.umich.edu/
Finding aid created by Polly Reynolds, September 2005
Access and Use
Acquisition Information:
The records were donated by Schuler’s Restaurant (donor no. 9609) in June 2005.
Access Restrictions:
The record group is open to research.
To protect fragile audiovisual recordings (such as audio cassettes, film reels, and VHS tapes), the Bentley Historical Library has a policy of converting them to digital formats by a professional vendor whenever a researcher requests access. For more information, please see: http://bentley.umich.edu/research/duplication/.
Copyright:
Copyright is held by the Regents of the University of Michigan but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.
Preferred Citation:
[item], folder, box, Schuler's Restaurant Records , Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
Biography
The Schuler family restaurant business officially began when Albert Schuler, a local cigar maker, opened up his first cigar store in Marshall in 1909, adding a billiard table, bakery and a lunch counter. Delving further into the restaurant business, Albert purchased a café in 1917 and a hotel with a small dining room on Main Street in 1920. In 1924 he sold the Main Street hotel and purchased the more spacious Royal Hotel and Restaurant, the location where Schuler's restaurant continues to stand and operate today.
The history and growth of Schuler's can be attributed to the generations of the Schuler family who ran and managed this famous restaurant. In 1934, Albert gifted the restaurant to his sons, Winston ("Win") and Albert. Win and Albert remodeled and expanded the restaurant, adding a glass-block front and a bowling alley. While the bowling alley was later abandoned, it was converted into the "centennial room," a large dining area. In 1946, Win bought out his brother's share of the restaurant and continued to expand Schuler's, opening up several Schuler's restaurants throughout Michigan. In 1952, Win introduced Schuler's famous "Bar-Scheeze," a mixture of cheese and beer intended to sit at the table for diners to eat when arriving to their tables and waiting for their meals.
Win's son Hans took over the business in 1970 and was also lucrative in the expansion and renovation of Schuler's restaurant, contributing greatly to the mass marketing and growth of the Bar Scheeze product. In 1968, he trademarked and packaged the product for grocery store sales. In 1982, Hans helped sell the Bar Scheeze food division to Campbell's Soup.
As the fourth generation, Hans's oldest son, Larry continues the Schuler family restaurant legacy, Vice President of Schuler's Inc. and currently managing the casual "Schu's" restaurant in St. Joseph, Michigan.
From the 1950s to 1970s Schuler's expanded greatly, opening up restaurants throughout Michigan, with locations in Jackson (1952), St. Joseph (1954), Grand Rapids (1958?), Grand Haven (1963), Stevensville (1965), Ann Arbor (1972), East Lansing (1972), West Bloomfield (1974), Flint (1977), Rochester (1978), and Kalamazoo (1979) as well as Fort Wayne, Indiana (1970). Although the "Schu's" restaurant of St. Joseph (1990) remains the only subsidiary, the original Marshall restaurant continues to serve customers.
Collection Scope and Content Note
The records of Schuler's restaurant document the long history and background of this restaurant. The bulk of the materials come from the heyday of the restaurant from the 1950s to the 1980s when the restaurant experienced major growth and national recognition.
This record group contains the following series: Administrative, Advertising and Publicity, Menus, Visual Materials, and Scrapbooks.
Subject Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the finding aid database and catalog of The Bentley Historical Library/University of Michigan. Researchers desiring additional information about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.
Restaurants -- Michigan -- Marshall.
Marshall (Mich.) -- Commerce.
Cookery, American.
Restaurants -- Michigan -- Marshall.
Restaurants -- Michigan.
Marshall (Mich.) -- Restaurants.
Menus.
Photographs.
Scrapbooks.
Slides (photographs)
Videotapes.
Schuler's (Restaurant)
Schuler's (Restaurant)
Schuler, Hans.
Schuler, Win.
Schuler family.
Contents List
Request materials for use in the Bentley Library
Container / Location
Title
Administrative [series]
The Administrative series (1 linear ft., 1969-2000) covers aspects of running and managing Schuler's restaurants, including public relations files, manuals and employee handbooks, and food and cost evaluations. The Administrative series also includes files covering special events planning, like the All-Michigan meal, Harvest dinners, and Michigan Week activities. Employee and family background materials can also be found here, including resumes and biographies of Win and Hans Schuler and the Board of Directors.
Box 1
Awards and recognition
(see also outsize folder)
Box 1
Banquets
Box 1
Board of Directors
Box 1
Corporate Controls Systems
Box 1
Cost evaluations
Box 1
Food lists (?)
Box 1
Handbooks and manuals
Box 1
Hans Schuler biography
Box 1
History
Box 1
Newsletters
Box 1
Public relations
(2 folders)
Special dinners
All Michigan Meal
Box 1
1986
Box 1
1988
Michigan Harvest Dinners
Box 1
Advertising and planning
Box 1
1985
Box 1
1986
Box 1
Michigan week
Win Schuler
Box 1
General
Box 1
Condolence letters 1993
Box 1
Quotes
Advertising/Publicity [series]
The Advertising and Publicity series (1.5 linear ft., 1979-1986) contains scrapbooks of advertising and promotional clippings, loose files of coupons and promotions and Bar Scheeze advertising materials. The series also includes a clipping file of magazine and newspaper articles. See the scrapbooks series for more articles and publicity materials.
Advertising scrapbooks
Box 2
Jackson 1975-1977
Box 2
1979-1980
Box 2
1981
Box 2
1983
Box 2
1984
Box 2
1986
Box 3
Advertisements, promotions, etc.
(2 folders)
(see also outsize folder)
Box 3
Articles
(2 folders)
(see also outsize folder)
Box 3
Bar Scheeze
(2 folders)
Box 3
Postcards
Box 3
Press releases
Box 3
Promotion ideas
Box 3
Skittles
Menus [series]
The Menus series (7.5 linear ft., 1946-2002) includes various Schuler's menus including regular menus, changing menus, lunch and kid's menus, dessert and drink menus and special occasion menus. Of special note is the original menu artwork, demonstrating the planning, creativity and artistry that went into menu design at Schuler's. Menus have been arranged chronologically and by restaurant location. Undated menus have been organized by menu type.
Layout/design
Box 3
General
Box 3
Mini-menu design
Box 20
Original menu artwork
(2 folders)
Box 3
Skittles artwork
Menu and table items
Box 3
Placemats
Box 3
Table tents
Menus, by date
Box 4
1946
Box 4
1950
Box 4
1951
Box 4
1952
Box 4
1953
Box 4
1955
Box 4
1957
Box 4
1958
Box 4
1959
Box 4
1960
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 4
1961
Box 4
1962
Box 4
1963
Box 4
1964
Box 4
1965
Box 4
1966
Box 4
1967
Box 4
1968
Box 4
1969
Box 4
1970
(2 folders)
Box 4
1971
Box 4
1972
Box 5
1973
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 5
1974
Box 5
1975
(2 folders)
Box 5
1976
Box 5
1977
Box 5
1978
Box 5
1979
(2 folders)
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 5
1980
(2 folders)
Box 6
1981
Box 6
1982
Box 6
1983
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 6
1986
Box 6
1987
Box 6
1988
Box 6
1989
Box 6
1992
Box 6
1993
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 6
1995
Box 6
2000
Box 6
2002
Box 19
Outsize menus
(1 folder)
Menus and other undated
Box 6
Banquet menus
Box 6
Breakfast menus
Box 6
Children's menus
Box 6
Dessert menus
Box 6
Dinner menus
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 6
Drink and wine menus
Box 6
Football menus
Box 6
Harvest menus
Box 6
Holiday/special menus
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 6
Lunch menus
Box 6
Miscellaneous
Box 6
Pub menus
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 6
Specials, clip-ons, etc.
Box 19
Outsize menus--undated
(1 folder)
Menus, by location
Ann Arbor
Box 7
1974
Box 7
1975
Box 7
1977
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 7
1978
Box 7
1979
Box 7
1980
Box 7
1981
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 7
1982
East Lansing
Box 7
1977
Box 7
1978
Box 7
1979
Box 7
1980
Box 7
1981
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 7
1982
Box 7
1983
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 7
1985
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 7
1986
Box 7
1987
Flint
Box 7
1977
Box 7
1978
Box 7
1979
Box 7
1980
Box 7
1981
Box 7
1983
Box 7
1984
Box 7
1985
Box 7
Fort Wayne
Jackson
Box 7
Pub menu
Box 7
1977
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 7
1978
Box 7
1979
Box 7
1980
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 7
1981
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 8
1982
Box 8
Skittles (restaurant) 1982
Box 8
1984
Box 8
1985
Box 8
1986
Box 8
1987
Box 8
1988
1989
Box 8
Lunch menus
Box 8
Dinner menus
Box 8
Holiday/special menus
Box 8
Wine menu
Box 8
1992
Kalamazoo
Box 8
1979-1986
(8 folders)
Marshall
Box 8
1977
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 8
1978
Box 8
1979
Box 9
1980
Box 9
1981
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 9
1982
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 9
1983
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 9
1984
Box 9
1985
Box 9
1986
Box 9
Wine lists 1986
Box 9
1987
Box 9
Wine lists 1987
Box 9
1988
Box 9
Wine lists 1988
1989
Box 9
Lunch menus
Box 9
Dinner menus
Box 9
Dessert
Box 9
Holiday/special menus
Box 9
Wine menus
Box 9
1992
Box 9
1993
Rochester
Box 9
1977-1981
(5 folders)
Box 9
1983
(in outsize box 19)
Stevensville
Box 10
1977
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 10
1978
Box 10
1979
Box 10
1980
Box 10
1981
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 10
1982
Box 10
1983
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 10
1984
Box 10
1985
Box 10
1986
Box 10
1987
Box 10
1988
1989
Box 10
Lunch menus
Box 10
Dinner menus
Box 10
Holiday/special menus
West Bloomfield
Box 10
1977
(see also outsize box 19)
Box 10
1978-1982
(5 folders)
Box 10
1983
(in outsize box 19)
Box 19
Outsize menus--by location
(1 folder)
Visual materials [series]
The Visual Materials series (6 linear ft., 1962-1999) contains slides, photographs, videos, and miscellaneous visual materials arranged by material type.
Slides [subseries]
Schuler's restaurant kept a photo file of their slides, arranged topically. This arrangement has been preserved, although there may be some overlap with the photographs. The topical slide files cover many different aspects of Schuler's restaurant including Schuler family, events and people, restaurants, food, bar scheeze marketing, and Schuler's memorabilia.
Box 11
Awards
Box 11
Banquets
Box 11
Bar Cheese Marketing
Box 11
Brunch
Box 11
Centennial Room
Box 11
Cheese Plant
(2 folders)
Box 11
Cheese Plant Buildings and Trucks
Box 11
Coloring Book
Box 11
Dishline
Box 11
Drinks
Box 11
Food
Box 11
Fort Wayne
Box 11
Gift Certificates
Box 11
Glasses
Box 11
Golf Outing
Box 11
Guests
Box 11
Hans/Larry/Win
Box 11
Holidays
Box 11
Host/Hostess
Box 11
Jackson
Box 11
Kitchen
Box 11
Lobby
Box 11
Logos and Billboards
Box 11
Memorabilia
Box 11
Menus
Box 11
Michigan week
Box 11
Mug shots
Box 11
News articles
Box 11
Outside Schulers
Box 11
Packaged Bar cheese
Box 11
Promos
(2 folders)
Box 11
Pub/Bar
Box 11
Richland
Box 11
Rochester
Box 11
Training
(2 folders)
Box 11
Wait staff
Box 11
West Bloomfield
Miscellaneous
Box 11
35 mm
Box 12
35 mm
(2 volumes)
Box 12
2.75" x 2.75"
Photographs [subseries]
The photographs have been divided into four subseries: Activities and events, food, individuals, and restaurants. The activities and events photos document many of Schuler's anniversaries (70th, 75th, 80th, 85th, and 90th) as well as various awards banquets, parties and special meals. The food photographs include photographs of food prepared at the restaurant as well as bar scheeze marketing and preparation. The photographs of individuals document primarily members of the Schuler family, with the bulk of the photographs of Win and Hans, but also including some of Larry. Also included are employees, restaurant chefs, and Michigan governors, Blanchard and Milliken. The Restaurant photographs contain photos of the interior, exterior and renderings of the many Schuler's restaurants throughout Michigan.
Activities/Events
Box 13
4-H stock sales butcher shop
Box 13
AAA "souper" bowl 1989
Anniversaries
Box 13
70th
Box 13
75th
(2 folders)
Box 13
80th
Box 13
85th
Box 13
90th
(2 folders)
Entertainment
Box 13
General
Box 13
Chamber music, Emily Byrens and Linda Jo Scott 1985
Box 13
Christmas carolers
Box 13
Fly-in (?) July 21, 1996
Golf
Box 13
General
Box 13
Bar Scheeze open 1977
Michigan Harvest
Box 13
1985
Box 13
1986
Box 13
Food
Box 13
Governor Blanchard
Box 13
Michigan week
Box 13
Miscellaneous events
Parties/Banquets
Box 13
General
Box 13
Awards dinner 1979
Box 13
Banquet 1987
Box 13
Inaugural banquet
Box 13
Leukemia celebrity luncheon November 8, 1989
Box 13
Leukemia Society of America party undated
Box 13
Miscellaneous awards banquets
Box 13
Parties
Box 13
Taste of Detroit or 1978, 1979
Box 13
S.A.F.E. dinner 1989
Travel Holiday awards
Box 14
1986
Box 14
1988
(2 folders)
Box 14
1989
Box 14
Win at banquets with employees, etc.
Box 14
Sports
Food
Box 14
General
Box 14
Commissary
Box 14
Bar scheeze/Bar schips
Food
Box 14
1990-1991
Box 14
1992
Box 14
Food art
Individuals
Schuler family
Box 14
General
(2 folders)
Box 14
Albert Schuler
Hans Schuler
Box 14
General
(see also outsize folder)
Box 14
1985
Box 14
1986
Box 14
1987
Box 14
Governor Blanchard 1985
Box 14
Hans and Larry Schuler with wine 1987
Box 14
Hans and Dan Hugelier
Box 14
Posed
Box 14
Travel Holiday award photographs 1982
Box 14
With others, general and awards
Box 15
Larry Schuler
Win Schuler
Box 15
General
(2 folders)
Box 15
General photographs with people
Box 15
Posed
Box 15
Win and Hans Schuler with guests
Chefs
Box 15
1984
Chef Dan Hugelier
Box 15
1984
Box 15
Detroit News
Box 15
Olympics
Box 15
Hans with chefs (and hunting)
Box 15
Workshops
Other
Box 15
Employees
Box 15
Milliken
Box 15
President Nixon at Marriott Inn
Box 15
Unidentified and other individuals
Restaurants
Box 15
Schuler history
Ann Arbor
Box 15
General
(2 folders)
Box 15
Groundbreaking
Box 15
East Lansing
Fort Wayne
Box 15
General
Box 15
Renderings
Grand Haven
Box 15
Grand opening
Box 15
Pre-1972 remodeling
Box 15
Grand Rapids
Jackson
Box 15
Black Jack Tavern
Box 15
English newspapers
Box 15
Exterior
Box 15
Inn signs
Box 15
Interior
Box 15
Renderings
Kalamazoo
Box 15
General
Box 15
1979
Marshall
Box 16
General
Box 16
1985
Box 16
1986
Box 16
1987
Box 16
Centennial Room 1988
Box 16
Gift shop
Box 16
Heritage room
Box 16
Hotel (interior)
Box 16
Hotel Schuler (exterior)
Box 16
Interior
Box 16
Stadium rooms
Box 16
Rochester
Stevensville
Box 16
General
Box 16
1984-1987
(4 folders)
Box 16
Historic fire
St. Joseph
Box 16
Construction
Box 16
Exterior
Box 16
Interior (pre-1972 remodeling)
Box 16
Samuel Johnson
Troy
Box 16
Renderings
West Bloomfield
Box 16
General
Box 16
Interior 1984
Unidentified locations
Box 16
Architectural pictures
Box 16
Billboards
Box 16
Historic buildings
Box 16
Kitchen
Box 16
Photos by Tines
Box 16
Restaurant renderings
(see also outsize Box 20)
Box 16
Wait persons, uniforms, tables, kitchen staff
Other visual materials
Box 16
Antiques
Box 16
Art by Drausby
Box 16
City of Marshall homes and buildings
Box 16
Coaches and football games
Box 16
Helicopter
Box 16
Miscellaneous
Videotapes (VHS) [subseries]
Videotapes: The videos include Schuler's 90th anniversary as well as a recording of a cooking show featuring a Schuler's recipe.
Box 16
Schuler's restaurant 90th Anniversary 1999
Box 16
What's cooking with Burt Wolf? Schuler's roasted chicken
Scrapbooks [series]
The Scrapbooks (1944-1985, 2 linear ft., 9 oversize volumes) arranged chronologically, contain clippings, articles, menus, advertising and other memorabilia that Schuler's restaurant has compiled through the years. Also included is a scrapbook of Win Schuler.
Scrapbooks, by date
Oversize Volume 1
Win Schuler personal 1944
Oversize Volume 2
1949-1973 (scattered)
Oversize Volume 3
1963-1975 (scattered)
Oversize Volume 6
circa 1954-1974
Oversize Volume 7
1960s
Box 17
Michigan Week 1962
Box 18
1962-1966
Oversize Volume 4
1971-1976
Oversize Volume 5
1972-1973
Oversize Volume 8
1975-1978
Oversize Volume 9
1977-1985
Additional Descriptive Data
Additional Resources
Researchers may want to consult Schuler's: fresh recipes & warm memories, a cookbook put together by Hans Schuler and Chef Jonathan Schuler in 2004. In addition to featuring many of Schuler's recipes, the book also gives an excellent history of Schuler's restaurant, illustrated with historical photographs. The Bentley owns a copy of this book.
Schuler's restaurant also has a website (http://www.schulersrestaurant.com) that includes photo galleries, current menus, events, and a brief history of the restaurant.
