By Jacob Wheeler The tasteful nude painting of \u201cFrancine\u201d has disappeared from behind the bar, but The Cabbage Shed<\/a>\u2019s funky, welcoming vibe has hardly changed under the ownership of Colleen and T.J. Hudson, the management of Tony and Beth (Hudson) Roethler, and the musical coordination of Colleen\u2019s nephew, Ryan Zuker. Keeping it a family affair, the Roethlers are running the bar and restaurant for Beth\u2019s parents, the Hudsons, just as Becky (Clapp) Hunt ran it for her father, Jim Clapp, who sold The Shed on November 6, 2015, after 30 years of business. <\/p>\n \u201cWe made a promise to Jim that we\u2019d change the interior appearance a little bit to make it more functional, but we wouldn\u2019t compromise the culture and history of what The Shed is all about,\u201d says Tony Roethler. \u201cThere\u2019s a sense of joy and camaraderie when you walk into this place\u2014this is Elberta\u2019s gathering place for any occasion.\u201d<\/p>\n Tony would know. He and Beth held their wedding reception at The Shed on July 11, 2011, after a ceremony on the Frankfort beach. [See photos of their matrimonial celebration on The Shed\u2019s website at CabbageShed.com<\/a>.] <\/p>\n Tony is a veteran of the food business. He worked in a grocery store as a kid in a small town in Iowa. He met Beth while working for the Maggiano\u2019s chain of Italian-American restaurants, and he has held nearly every position in the industry, from dishwasher to chef to general manager, including his latest stint in Phoenix. But he tired of working long weeks in a corporate environment and missing time with his family. <\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t look myself in the mirror any more,\u201d Tony recalls. So when Tony\u2019s mother-in-law, Colleen Hudson, called him last June and asked if he would consider moving to Northern Michigan to manage The Shed, Tony jumped at the opportunity.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d been talking about making a change in lifestyle,\u201d says Tony, who together with Beth has two daughters, three-year-old Jameson and 10-month-old Emerson. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to raise our girls in a large city.\u201d<\/p>\n Clapp accepted an offer from the Hudsons in October 2015, and they kept the news discreet. Clapp and daughter Becky Hunt threw a send-off Halloween party, attended by hundreds, before The Shed closed for the winter. The deal was inked on November 6, and Tony and T.J. (his father-in-law, whom he calls \u201cDad\u201d) loaded up a U-haul and drove straight from Phoenix to Elberta in mid-February.<\/p>\n \u201cWe took turns sleeping on a mattress in the back of the truck,\u201d Tony says. \u201cLuckily, the weather wasn\u2019t bad during the drive.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cabbage Shed continues to feature live music, eight handles of Michigan craft beer, and old menu favorites such as the Glarum Grill and the \u201cfamous\u201d Shed Borscht. Frankfort\u2019s Crescent Bakery<\/a> supplies the bread, the soft drinks are Williamsburg-based Northwoods Soda<\/a>, the ice cream is Moomer\u2019s<\/a>, and the kitchen will get its produce from the Elberta Farmers\u2019 Market<\/a> this summer. If you are into south-of-the-border eats, try the fish tacos or green chili mac & cheese, and wash it down with The Shed\u2019s sangria or their fresh twist on a margarita, called the \u201cElbertarita.\u201d<\/p>\n Under Tony\u2019s direction, the menu has also taken a turn toward the Mediterranean. He saw a need for Italian-American food. In particular, The Shed will serve family-style, three-course, Italian meals for private parties in the restaurant\u2019s northern annex, which accommodates 75 people. The restaurant will cater specifically to wedding rehearsal dinners.<\/p>\n And the music has not skipped a beat. <\/p>\n Fittingly, the Alfredo Improvisational Quartet <\/a>was the last band to play at last year\u2019s Halloween Party, and they also opened The Shed\u2019s new era on April 1. The popular Thursday night \u201copen mic\u201d at 8 p.m. has returned, and frequently features Jim Clapp, himself. <\/p>\n Though they have been open for about two months, the Roethlers and Hudsons will host an official Cabbage Shed grand re-opening party on Saturday, May 28, beginning at 3 p.m. The event will feature live music, complimentary appetizers, and drink specials. The public is welcome. Awesome Distraction will play from 5-9 p.m., followed by a to-be-determined closing act at 10. <\/p>\n Click here to read \u201cThe Cabbage Shed: A Musical History,\u201d<\/a> a story that we ran last fall on Clapp\u2019s reign. And to read the general history of the famous Elberta landmark, check out another article here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Photo caption: The new crew at The Cabbage Shed, which features some familiar faces. 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\nCurrent Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n