GRANT, Mich. — "It's more than just a restaurant. It's an important piece of Michigan history."
Joni Groenke wasn't aware of the history when she first took a job as a server at The Depot Restaurant in Grant. However, as she worked her way up to manager, she became very familiar with the building's past.
It would almost be impossible to not learn what it used to be. The story is written all over the restaurant. From photos and newspaper clippings to the authentic ticket window where you can pay your check, The Depot Restaurant embraces its origins.
Not to mention, the tracks behind the restaurant, along which trains continue to travel to this day.
"It's always about the railroad," Groenke said. "They want people to be able to travel and come here and say, 'Oh, this is a part of the history of Michigan.'”
According to Groenke, the train depot was built in 1891, along with the wooden water tower out front, which still stands strong.
It was taken over by the Pere Marquette railroad system in 1899.
"You could pretty much go anywhere in the country from here," Groenke said. "In 1928, there were more railroad lines than there were highways. So if you wanted to go somewhere, you could buy a ticket here and go anywhere."
It wasn't just passenger trains that chugged their way through the area. Grant also shipped produce like peaches and onions by rail. For a while, Grant was dubbed the "Onion Capital of the World."
The last train ticket was sold in 1963. The building sat vacant until 1979 when it was transformed into a restaurant.
The Depot's Facebook page says, "The agents' office and waiting room became a dining room. The kitchen is in the freight section. An addition to the east side serves as an additional dining room."
In Groenke's eyes, the history of the property plays a big role in the success of the restaurant.
"It brings a lot more people here — A lot more than I would think," she said. "I mean, like, if you're a train person, sure, but a lot of people, when they get here, they don't realize it was actually a real train depot. Then they're like, 'Oh, wait. Tell me about it.'"