Scott and Sally Searle Interview Transcript

Scott and Sally Searle were born in Detroit. Scott moved to the Upper Peninsula in 1965 and Sally came up in 1976 to attend Northern Michigan University. They discuss their marriage and opening a barber shop, the Lion’s Den, in Marquette. Having to leave the profession, they purchased B.G.’s Bar and Grill, which they renamed the Fillin Station, in 1989. They discuss their experience as new bar owners, as well as their purchase of the Red Horse Ranch in Gwinn, Michigan. They also re-modelled a four-story, 12,500 square foot building including twelve rooms and seventeen bathrooms. The property included two cabins, a ranch house, and a barn on 40 acres. They changed the name to The Up North. They also provided snowmobile and ATV rentals, rooms, and a bar/restaurant, among other services. It was destroyed by fire in 2005. They re-opened a mile up the road under the same name. They describe their bar’s contributions to the community and the difficulties and regulations of running a bar. They discuss giving back to Gwinn with charity benefits as well as motorcycle, snowmobile, and motor culture, the One Percenters club, and motorcycle groups. They discuss the changes in perception and crack-down on drunk driving and the important role of bars in the community.