100 E Michigan Ave
This site has a rich history, serving as home to various businesses and remaining a key part of downtown commerce for over a century.
Originally, Little Grass Shack was George Bowen’s Grocery Store before becoming a waiting area for the Boland Line (Michigan United Railways). From July 6, 1901, to September 13, 1902, the Jackson & Suburban Traction Company used the building as a passenger waiting room.
By 1933, the site had transitioned into Cassius Smith’s Pool Room, which was later purchased by George and Ida Klumpp in September 1933. George converted it into a bar called the Ramble Inn, which remained in operation until 1958.
The upstairs office once housed W.H. Curtis Real Estate, Insurance & Collections from 1904 to 1907. Several grocery businesses also operated nearby, including Uriah V. Shelly & Sons Grocers at 104 E. Michigan Avenue (1897-1924) and Lovell D. Loomis Groceries at 108 E. Michigan Avenue (1900-1906).
On February 18, 1915, Farmers Bank was renamed Farmers State Bank, further cementing this location’s role in Grass Lake’s financial and commercial history.