The name says it all for the Strutt, one of Kalamazoo's most ambitious hangouts. It dresses to impress and it succeeds.
Founded by Darren Bain, a hard working do-it-yourselfer, the
Strutt has become a favorite Kalamazoo hotspot and nationally recognized music venue as a result of the work of the team hired and trained by Bain.
"Darren has high expectations for this establishment and he has truly poured his heart and soul into the (business)," says Strutt employee Kayla Powers. "He has more energy and ambition than he knows what to do with. His passion is contagious and he has equipped himself with a team of people as motivated as himself."
The always open door allows any visitor to walk right in to a multicultural mishmash of a dining room, a coffee bar, a stage equipped with sound equipment, and eclectic modern art. The walls are painted maroon. Gold frames surround almost every window.
On this particular day, college-age barista Kayla Powers tends the coffee bar, takes orders and socializes with customers as if each is a regular. At one point during her shift, she reads French poetry with a man drinking coffee, wearing a plaid flat-cap and cradling a sleeping baby.
The sounds of banging hammers and spinning power drills punctuate the air. In the bar section of the building, surrounded by bricks and building equipment spread across blue tarps, Bain and employee Garrett Krugh are at work on the latest enterprise. They stand behind a new coffee roaster, lean down, and exchange ideas for the plans on this new project.
Bain's latest venture is three pronged -- getting Black Owl Brewing up
and running, selling the Strutt Beers, and marketing a Strutt labeled
coffee roast. Plans are for Black Owl Brewing Company to open in
February 2011 and Strutt beers should follow shortly after that.
Bain is what you'd call "well traveled" -- the 41-year-old has visited somewhere around 60 countries in 10 years, experiencing other cultures, trying different foods and customs and learning ways to appreciate the finer things in life that he now wants to share with others.
"This place is art," says Bain of the Strutt. "We built something amazing out of literally nothing. Now, anyone can sit down here and appreciate the environment, and as we grow, we invest to make this place better for everyone. We're trying to bring an experience to anyone who doesn't want what's deemed the norm."
Although at 3-years-old the Strutt is still relatively new, it continues to attract a wide variety of coffee, beer and music aficionados. It's a work always in progress.
And the kitchen rocks. The menu is full of sandwiches, pizza, salads, crepes and more. But it's the smoked meats that are the Strutt's signature item.
"We've hired two new and very reputable chefs," Bain says. "One from the Union in downtown Kalamazoo and one from the Bistro in Paw Paw. We'd like everyone who visits to have an excellent dining experience."
Aside from the smoked meats, the sandwiches and paninis come highly recommended, as do the pizzas, especially the Pollo Pesto Pronto and The Guadalajam.
But what really attracts Kalamazoo's college students and anyone else in town looking to be entertained is the Strutt's ability to transform into a booming music venue and musical hangout by night.
Musically, the Strutt has plenty to offer. Whether the acts are large-scale and national or local and small, the Strutt puts a band on its stage almost every night. Rooney, a nationally recognized recording and touring group rocked the stage in August. Xiu Xiu, another nationally acclaimed American Indie band from California., will perform Sept. 5.
On top of that -- or literally below the coffeehouse -- Strutt Studios and Strutt Records have have been putting out records for some time and will be releasing
Fiona Dickinson's new album in November. The club offers an open mic night for beginning and upper level musicians most Tuesday nights. On Saturday mornings, it hosts a jazz jam for the local jazz musicians along with a Saturday morning brunch and an exchange market.
"People bring in a lot of antiques and used records. It's sort of a swap market," Bain says.
Music fills the air here on a regular basis and it's no wonder Southwest Michigan's talent flocks to this place to show Kalamazoo what they have to offer.
"You don't live forever," Bain says, "and your life is about the work that you put in. It's not about sitting on a couch playing video games or going to yoga just so you feel you've done something with your day. I don't just want to do well, I want to do well for everyone."
Jared Field is a freelance writer living in Kalamazoo.Photos by
Erik Holladay. Darren Bain is founder of The Strutt, a combination music venue, coffee lounge, bar and restaurant.
The Strutt just recently installed a coffee roaster.
The large front area of the building houses the main stage and coffee bar. Patrons are greeted by rich dark colored walls, eclectic art and a mish-mash of tables and chairs that create a warm, inviting area to lounge and chat with friends and other customers.
The Strutt is loaded with hidden artwork and quirky displays. The main room has a giant, antique light fixture surrounded by painted stars on the ceiling.
A patron enjoys the free Wi-Fi.
The Strutt offers local micro brews, exotic beers from around the world and domestic staples.
On display in one room -- a religious themed mosaic, a disco ball, three impressionistic paintings, a brass chandelier, and a sombrero.
The Strutt is located on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Academy Street near downtown Kalamazoo.
The Strutt smaller stage hosts open mic night every Tuesday night.
Darren Bain is founder of The Strutt, combination music venue, coffee lounge, bar and restaurant.