The inspiration for Coonan’s Irish Hub stemmed from the Coonan family’s Irish heritage coupled with the family’s history of running bar/restaurants. With fond memories of his grandfathers’ bar — Revette’s — Coonan’s Irish Hub owner Kim Coonan, a lifelong resident of Bay City, knew that one day he’d like to open a family-friendly establishment.

“My grandfather, Wilber Revette, was an inspiration to me as a young child. He was very personable, passionate and hardworking in running his bar for decades,” Coonan said. “As kids, my siblings and I cleaned his bar in the summer and on weekends to earn money. This is what ingrained in me the concept of running the business — and allowed me to reopen the bloodline inherited from my grandfather.”

The bar, formerly known as The Hub, had been a staple in the Johnson Street Business District for decades. When it went up for sale, Kim thought it was the perfect opportunity to breathe new life into the area and offer a place for locals to go.

With the help of family and friends, Coonan’s Irish Hub opened in June of 2011. And it has since become a local favorite — particularly for the 24 craft beers on draft, the homemade Guinness Irish Stew and “Bay City’s Best Reuben.”

Coonan’s has won numerous awards, including Best Neighborhood Bar in Bay County as well as one of the Top 10 Irish Pubs in Michigan. But Kim says the greatest honor is the response from customers who had been longing for a neighborhood bar where they could relax and enjoy time with family and friends.

“We have been blessed to have gotten to know a wonderful group of people,” Kim says about his customer base.