GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Two restaurants in downtown Grand Rapids will soon be under new ownership.
Dan Verhil, the owner of the Cottage Bar and One Trick Pony Grill and Taproom, announced Wednesday that he will retire and sell the restaurants.
"I thought crossing the threshold of my 40th year here, I thought it would be as good a year as any to do it," Verhil said.
He said he hopes to sell the businesses to someone who wants to carry on their legacy.
“My most important goal and first order of business is to find a new owner and curator who appreciates the history of these iconic restaurants – someone who will carry on their legacy and honor my longtime and loyal staff,” Verhil said in a release.
Verhil says the people he's met during his years owning the restaurants were his favorite parts.
"We've met a lot of great people who have become great friends over the years. Half of them have become like family to me. Those are the highlights."
Verhil has owned the Cottage Bar for 40 years. The business has been in his family since 1967, when his father became the third owner.
