Community Highlights: Meet Roger James Fruin of The Muskrat

Today we’d like to introduce you to Roger James Fruin.  

Hi Roger, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
The Muskrat came about organically as our parent company, Detroit Stillworks, grew. For us as Detroit transplants, Boyne epitomizes the Northern Michigan, small-town experience. Driven by the Midwestern hospitality and Blue Collar entrepreneurial spirit, our founder moved Detroit Stillworks here in 2019 with no plan or expectations to ever open a tasting room. As we settled in it became apparent that a quirky watering hole with craft cocktails might be the best way to give back to a community that welcomed us with open arms. When I was approached the summer of 2021 to consult on the bar build-out and beverage program, things really came together. We assembled an incredible team of passionate individuals and buckled up for a wild first summer. After nearly a decade of overseeing and working in some of the best-known cocktail establishments in Detroit as well as competing across the country, I can honestly say that there is really nowhere with quite the same character as this area! 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Nothing worth doing passionately is ever easy; a smooth road creates complacent drivers. As a very small team, we all wear a lot of hats, long grueling hours and plenty of pivots are the calling card of being your own boss, we have been no exception to that rule. The bottom line for us is creating that essential hospitality experience by building a brand we cherish. There is no map for this, just an un-waivered determination (or stubbornest) to be a little better than the day before. 

As you know, we’re big fans of The Muskrat. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
From the beginning, we really wanted to focus on the hospitality experience and create an inclusive space for anyone who walks through the door. You can have a drink anywhere, so why come here? We had very large shoes to fill to pay homage to the legacy of the building’s former proprietor and resident character, the late great Bob Huff. Taking over a space that has served this community as a pharmacy for over a century was not taken lightly. Our owners spent the better part of a year strippping the building down to its original 1890s Maple floors, brick walls, and tin ceiling. The bar itself had fulfilled her tour of duty up the street at the historic Dilworth Hotel and we were fortunate enough to inherit her, allowing us to responsibly serve the next generation of locals and passers-by. From there we needed to add a bit of ourselves, mixing modern flare with rustic charm. As the sun goes down, a sea of pink neon crashes against the warm, orange tungsten glow from the wicker chandeliers bathing the room in a rainbow sherbert hue like an Indian Summer sunset over Lake Charlevoix. Although, it would be irresponsible for you to take our word for it. Come kick back and form your own opinion. From building the stills to bottling to our modern take on pre-prohibition era cocktails, we are committed to creating a culture all our own for everyone. 

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Covid took away the ability for us to practice our beloved craft in a way we had grown custom to. An uncertain future having to adapt to a ‘new normal’, almost daily sometimes, presented new formidable challenges. Luckily, that’s pretty much the name of the game in the hospitality industry. 

Contact Info:

• Website: themuskrat.com
• Instagram: muskratdistilling
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/muskratdistilling

Image Credits
Roger James Photo