Can You Really Kiss A Moose in Michigan? Yes, At The Oldest Bar in Michigan!

It is an iconic piece of Michigan history and it's in Northern Michigan. It is the oldest continuously operated restaurant and bar in the entire state of Michigan, and if you're from, visited, or just heard about Traverse City you should know it's Sleder's Family Tavern on Randolph Street, with the smooching moose!

It all began in 1882 when Sleder’s opened its doors, and they have never been shut since.

Even through COVID, Sleder's stayed opened, although they would just do takeout/pickup, but never once did they consider closing up. Pretty amazing when so many other restaurants decided enough was enough. Not Sleder's. Their history is so rich that it would have been a crime to lock the place up and walk away.

It all began in what was once known as Slabtown, a working class neighborhood on Traverse City’s west side. Vencil Sleder (1850-1904), a Bohemian immigrant, wanted to build a tavern where everyone could relax after a day of hard work. With the help of neighborhood men, Vencil began construction using wooden slabs from nearby sawmills.

“It took three years to build because the crew could only work on Sundays,” said Louie Sleder (1909–1993), the last of three generations of Sleders to own the tavern, “Afterward they would eat, drink, and tell lies.”

The cool thing today is that when you walk into the tavern you will walk on the original slab flooring and under the original tin stamped ceiling. And with the parlor chairs, mahogany bar, booths, you feel as if you just stepped back into the 1800s.

And don't forget the famous critters at Sleder's where, yes, you can kiss that moose.

Introducing Randolph the Smooching Moose. If you go the Sleder's it's a must that you kiss Randolph for good luck!

But what about Prohibition? How could they stay open as a tavern back then? That's a great story because Louie had a great business sense and figured it out. He kept barrels of special “root beer” (bourbon and rye), which he served in tea cups and for free, of course, to the law.

And the rest is history!