Clara's Restaurant Group is prepared to restore the Depot to its original architectural grandeur. The former Pere Marquette Depot is a two-story brick structure completed in 1904 by the Pere Marquette Railway. This stately structure was operated as a train depot for its first 50 years, and as an office building for the next 20 years. It has been vacant for the last 20 years. Though many elements of the interior have been lost through years of neglect and abandonment, and despite the removal of the building's tower encircling awning structure, much of the remaining architecture of the building can be restored. The estimated cost to complete the rehabilitation is approximately $2,200,000.

The rehabilitated building will house the restaurant, Clara's Bay City Station. Clara's Restaurant Group (CRG) has successfully transformed abandoned train depots in neglected downtown locations into thriving restaurants of distinction. In doing so, it has revitalized blighted neighborhoods into centers of activity.

CRG's first Michigan location, Clara's Lansing Station restaurant opened for business in 1979 in the restored Union Depot, which served the passengers of the Michigan Central and the Pere Marquette Railroads. The restaurant has since served an estimated four million nostalgic and hungry visitors.

In the restored Michigan Central Railroad facility located in downtown Battle Creek, Clara's on the River restaurant has served over one-and-one-half million guests from all over the country since its opening in 1992. The historic rehabilitation of the Lansing and Battle Creek depots emphasizes the re-creation of local history. Clara's refurbished and redecorated the interior of the two restaurants in a Victorian motif, carefully working with local historians in the assembly and display of examples of this history.

This connection with the past has struck a cord with Clara's guests. "Heritage Tourism" is becoming nationally recognized as the fastest growing segment of tourism in the United States today. Tourists with historical interests are recognized as staying longer at destinations, and spending more money while there, than other types of tourists.

But history won't feed a hungry traveler. The restaurants are also about food. Clara's features a 16 page, moderately priced menu catering to all ages and appetites. They are recognized for their quality food and friendly service, with an accent on "fun" dining as opposed to "fine" dining. Special events, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations are frequently celebrated at Clara's restaurants, making them good meeting and gathering places.

Clara's is justifiably proud of its success to date. It has received local, state and national recognition. Clara's has also been recognized as a favorite location to bring out-of-town guests.

Clara's restaurants have had a favorable impact on the vibrancy of downtown activity in Lansing and, most recently, in Battle Creek. Each city has benefited from the additional private investment, jobs, and resulting tax revenues.

In addition to local residents, tour groups visit each of these locations on a regular basis and the added traffic favorably impacts retail activity for other downtown merchants. CRG believes that its presence in Bay City will have a comparable effect, becoming a destination for travelers from all over the region.

Bay City, Michigan is located in eastern mid-Michigan, close to where the Saginaw River meets the Saginaw Bay. Bay City developed here because of good canoe access from the south and the evolving transportation systems over time. For many years Downtown Bay City was the center of the state's thriving lumber industry and home to many of the "Lumber Barons." This wealth helped create a city with a rich and significant architectural heritage.

Much of this architecture remains today. Structures of note include: City Hall, an award winning example of Gothic architecture; The Bay Area Museum, were Teddy Roosevelt founded the "Bull Moose Party"; and the historic State Theater, one of the state's few remaining single-screen downtown theaters, which was "redesigned" in the early 1920's by C. Howard Crane, designer of the Fox Theater in Detroit.

Additionally, many of the magnificent homes lining stately Center Avenue, Third Street, Saginaw Street, Midland Street, as well as others in the general Downtown area, have undergone recent historic renovations.

The Bay City Antique Center, a city block-long antique showroom, is AAA magazine's #1 Antique Destination in the State of Michigan. It is considered the place to buy antiques. The Center leases space to over 200 dealers, including major importers of European white pine and other accessories. The Center draws visitors from around the world.

The Pere Marquette Depot in Bay City opened for passenger service on March 1, 1904, serving the Pere Marquette and the Detroit & Mackinac Railroads. The Depot thrived for almost fifty years. However, competition from the nearby rival Michigan Central Railroad, the automobile, and the airline industry led to its demise. In the early 1950's the Depot was closed to passengers and the railroad tracks were removed.

The Depot has undergone some major remodeling. In 1953, it was converted into office space and a transportation hub for bus and motor coach operations. A metal structure was added to create a second floor in the once spacious two-story waiting room and the tower and awning structure were removed for fear of future roof leakage. The Depot was then nearly encircled by the loading docks of the stores in a new shopping center, anchored by the A&P Tea Company.

The Depot has been vacant since the late 1960's and during this period, it withstood two fires and a lightning strike. Surprisingly, despite these incidents, the Depot's basic structure remains in relatively good condition.

Clara's became interested in the Depot building in August of 1992. In October of 1995, Clara's entered into a purchase agreement with the County to buy it and the purchase was concluded early this year. Clara's Bay City Station, is expected to open in the summer of 1999. Clara's and the community believe the rehabilitated Pere Marquette Depot will harmonize Bay City's historic past with their vision of the future.

For more information about Clara's Station Restaurants, visit their web site at www.claras.com.