MUSKEGON, Mich. — "One of the things that we've said from day one is, 'We want to bring people together to live life together.'”
No matter the challenge, Michael Brower said the goal has always remained the same.
"There's something that appeals to everybody," he said. "They can all gather, make new friends, hang out with their existing friends and really just enjoy life."
An experience for a group, created by a group.
Michael Brower, Joel Kamp and Chad Doane. As Michael likes to call them, the 'Muskegon Band of Misfits,' but together, there's nothing out of place.
“We joke that we're brothers," Michael said. "The great thing about brothers is we fight, and we're better because of each other at the same time.”
Together, they founded the popular Pigeon Hill Brewing Company in 2014. Later, they added the Brewer's Lounge Taproom to their collection.
"We're extremely lucky to work together as well as we do," Michael said. "I mean, most ownership groups are not family.”
The group took a small craft brewery and turned it into a statewide success, exporting Muskegon beer throughout Michigan.
However, the misfits still felt something was...well...missing.
"Almost all of our team and all of the ownership at Pigeon Hill, we live downtown, right in the heart of Muskegon," Michael said. "We feel like we've seen a lot of growth and vibrancy and things to do, but, at the same time, there's still a lack of things to do.”
They spent many sleepless nights brainstorming and workshopping ideas, always coming back to the same question: "As Muskegon residents, what would we want to have in this area?"
Socibowl is the answer they came up with.
“To bring this place together where Muskegon has kind of a big city feel right in the heart of our downtown now," Michael said.
Socibowl is a multi-experience entertainment space with food, drinks, darts and yard games, all centered around the team's title - bowling.
Not just any kind of bowling, though. They have six lanes of duckpin bowling, which is a smaller, modern spin on the classic sport.
At the same time, it's also a nod to the original use of that exact space.
"This building was constructed for bowling through the heyday of bowling in America," Michael said. "It was then bought by Brunswick, which operated as a test facility, so they were actually testing all have their new equipment here."
After Brunswick left, the Downtown Development Corporation took over. It became a series of nightclubs before falling into disrepair, according to Michael, until the misfits purchased it as their Pigeon Hill production facility in 2015.
“The original Pigeon Hill canned beer came from here," Michael said. "We knew from the get-go that this wasn't the highest and best use for a building right in the middle of our downtown corridor. So, we built a new production facility and started asking ourselves, 'What can we do in this space?'”
To most, the term 'misfit' might have a negative connotation. Really, it's just someone who doesn't conform. Someone who thinks unconventionally.
That's what Michael, Joel and Chad have done. They hope their story inspires others to do the same.
“I think that this is indicative of what is going to be coming in Muskegon," Michael said. "We've taken a big city concept, and we've made it right-sized for Muskegon. I see a lot more of that coming."
He added, "I think that we're seeing the future of Muskegon in this space.”