In The 1930's Anthony Bernard Grobbel owned and operated the "Sportsmen's Rendezvous Bar" at 19803 Ralston Ave, in Detroit.
It was located one block south of the State Fair Ave. entrance to the Michigan State Fairgrounds. This building is the original farmhouse from when the surrounding area (including the State Fairgrounds) was still farmland.
During the Prohibition Era, the old farmhouse became a hangout for "rumrunners" when it served as a speak easy and a brothel for Detroit's notorious Purple Gang.
When Anthony purchased it sometime shortly after the repeal of Prohibition on May 11, 1933, he moved his family into the upstairs living quarters and began selling legal beer and wine at the bar.
Whenever he was in town, one of Anthony's regular patrons was Emmett Kelly (1898-1979), who is famously remembered for his sad-faced character "Willie" the clown.
After Anthony's death in 1940, his widow sold the place to his former partner, John Faust, who then renamed it "The Stonehouse Bar".
The bar is still in operation today.
This is "Michigan's oldest continuously operating bar".
