The Schuster family has re-opened O'Hares Bar and Grill on Midland St. (L/R) Pamela (wife), Andrew (son), Peter and Beth (daughter). (MyBayCity Photo by O. J. Cunningham)

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O'Hares Says: "Welcome Back Bay City"

Midland Street Business Has New Owners Working On New Legacy

January 8, 2012
By: O. J. Cunningham

There's a sign on the front glass window at O'Hares Bar and Grill that says



And new O'Hares owner, Peter "Pete" Schuster is doing just that . . . Welcoming patrons to O'Hares Bar and Grill on Midland St with "Open Arms."

Schuster re-opened the O'Hares Bar and Grill and night club on December 23rd -- just before Christmas 2011.

"I would have done just about anything to make sure we were open on Christmas," Schuster said, "Because of the tree." (Obviously referring to the famous ceiling mounted (upside-down) Christmas Tree that has become a famous year-round fixture at the O'Hares Midland Street location.

Schuster admits he has limited restaurant experience but is quick to point out that he has a handful of college degrees (5) and walked away from a successful Kawkawlin business after 17 years.

After a brief stint at Dow Chemical, Schuster decided he . . . "needed something new and different."

And that's when Schuster came across the opportunity to purchase O'Hares.

It took almost three years to close the purchase deal but Schuster is happy with the end result and with the fact that his whole family is currently involved in the day-to-day operation.

Daughter Beth, son Andrew and Wife Pamela have all embraced the O'Hares operation and can be found on-sight almost any time of day.

Beth is the operations manager in the mornings, Andrew handles the restaurant's point-of-sale system as well as the social networking which includes web sites and facebook. Pamela, although a full-time employee at Bay Med, is always working behind the scenes on Midland Street.

"I'm a hand-on kind of owner," Schuster said about his own duties at O'Hares. "If it's something that has to be done," Schuster went on, I've probably done it myself one time or another."

O'Hares was closed since March of 2011 before the pre-Christmas. "We installed all new TV's (50+ Inches)," Schuster said. "We re-did the floors, hired new staff and brought back the old menu."

O'Hares is open from 11:00am to 2:00am every day (Monday-Saturday) and from Noon to 2:00am on Sunday. O'Hares has sandwiches under $6.00 and dinners under $10.00. "Our seafood basket which includes shrimp, scallops and flounder with fries and slaw for $12.99 is unbeatable," Schuster said. "You can't find anything like this anywhere close by," Schuster went on.

Schuster says he's hoping to spend five years at on Midland Street in the restaurant and entertainment business and then turn everything over to the kids. "Let's just say O'Hares Bar and Grill is my legacy to my family."