TECUMSEH — The Tecumseh Tavern may be new to town, but its owners want everyone who steps through the door to feel like it’s been a part of the community forever.
Bill Leisenring is the co-owner of the Tecumseh Tavern along with his son Jack, a recent Kalamazoo College graduate who serves as general manager.
He said the bar draws a lot of inspiration from the neighborhood pubs he and his wife, Heather, visited while traveling in Europe.
“These establishments are centuries old sometimes,” he said. “I wanted you to walk in and feel like this has been here a long time, it’s not all brand new.”
Dark green trim complements the building’s natural brick, and the logo — an image of a one-eyed jack from a set of playing cards — also echoes those old-world pubs, which often have some kind of character serving as their symbol.
Both the building and the name are deeply rooted in Tecumseh’s history. The building, at 206 E. Chicago Blvd., was constructed around 1880. It was the home of the Tecumseh Camera Shop from 1947 to 2022. And an establishment called the Tecumseh Tavern was operated in the 20th century in multiple locations, including the house on the northwest corner of Chicago and Union streets.
Though the building has been completely redone, it still contains reminders of its past.
“We purchased it in May 2022 and from there it was a total renovation, down to the bare brick walls,” Leisenring said.
But many elements of the building were repurposed in the new design. A metal grate from the old boiler covers one of the air vents. Some of the trim was reused. And spindles from the old staircase are part of the design behind the bar.
The renovation was done almost entirely by local contractors, Leisenring added.
There are 11 TV screens around the room, and a 22-foot-wide ticker above the bar displays the latest scores. There’s a wide selection of draft beers, wine, liquor and non-alcoholic drinks, and the food menu includes appetizers, flatbreads, toasted subs, paninis and salads.
Locally sourced foods on the menu include bread from Grand River Bakery in Manchester, salsa from Salsa Bliss in Blissfield, and hummus from Pita Delight, right down the street in Tecumseh.
Leisenring said he hopes the Tecumseh Tavern can help expand downtown’s footprint and get people to stop thinking of Ottawa Street as the eastern boundary of downtown. Tecumseh’s downtown social district has been expanded to include the pub.
They also own the parking lot next door and hope to offer events like beer release parties and concerts starting in the spring. They held a preview event for the bar in that parking lot during Tecumseh’s Appleumpkin festival last fall, with proceeds benefiting the Lenawee Humane Society, on whose board Heather Leisenring serves.
“So far the reception from the public has been great,” Leisenring said.
Two guests on New Year’s Day were Christopher Wall and Jane Spence of Tecumseh.
“This is such a nice addition to Tecumseh,” Spence said. “It’s very classy.”
“It just gives us that old pub feeling,” Wall said, adding: “The staff is excellent. They have great food and a great selection.”
The Tecumseh Tavern is at 206 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh. Hours are Sunday from noon to 11 p.m.; Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight. For information, call 517-301-4224 or go to tecumsehtavern.com.
