Flint Restaurant Honors UAW Sit-Down Strike 90 Years Later

Flint is about to serve up a taste of history. A new restaurant opening downtown will honor the 90th anniversary of the historic UAW sit-down strike, which helped reshape labor rights in Michigan and across the country.

Flint’s sit-down strike has always fascinated me. As a kid, I heard stories about the iconic labor dispute from my maternal grandfather, who was a proud participant. It wasn’t until I was much older that I fully appreciated the strike’s impact and how it paved the way for fair wages and benefits for countless people for generations.

Sit Down Taproom & Purveyor: A Labor Tribute

Now, a new Flint restaurant hopes to pay homage to that history. Sit Down Taproom & Purveyor, opening downtown, will celebrate the 90th anniversary of the 44-day UAW sit-down strike that forever changed labor rights in the city and across the country.

The restaurant is the brainchild of married couple Ted Van Steyn and Emily Feuerherm, who were inspired by the strike’s local legacy. “Our property is a few blocks from where major actions in the sit-down strike happened, and that’s what we’re theming our restaurant on,” Van Steyn told MLive. “I just love the idea of paying homage. I love the idea of being a part of that history.”

Historic Decor Meets Modern Menu

The couple has chosen a 112-year-old brick home—converted to offices in the 1970s—for the site of the restaurant. They plan to give it a 1930s feel, decorating with historic images from the sit-down strike as well as family photos of people involved in the labor movement. Sit Down will feature a wide variety of craft beers, craft cocktails, and a menu centered around premium sausages.

The restaurant will be located at 703 S. Grand Traverse in Flint.