Player’s Pub and Grub Wins Best Grub Crawl Spot

The 12th annual Grub Crawl, hosted by the Alpena Area Chamber Of Commerce, took place on Thursday, as people from all around northeast Michigan stopped in to ten different local bars and restaurants in Alpena.

Winning Best Grub Crawl Spot for the third year in a row was Player’s Pub and Grub, a bar and restaurant that has been participating in the event for four years.

“It’s really you just try to bring the best you can;” said Brandon Szatkowski, a staff member at Player’s Pub and Grub. “Provide the best atmosphere, great people, everyone here is friendly, they’re nice, like you said, there’s regulars, people who come here all the time, so they grow to enjoy it, and you just do your best. Try your best.”

While the theme of this year’s Grub Crawl was ‘Find Your Place on M–23’, Player’s conducted itself the way they normally would, which still earned them the award.

“It’s just a good chance for people who haven’t been here before to come check it out, and with the Grub Crawl you get a lot of people who haven’t ever been here, so people have pass through and if they like it, they’ll come back,” said Szatkowski.

Having that opportunity to welcome new customers to player’s through the Grub Crawl is a chance for them to expand their community, one that has enjoyed the bar and restaurant for years in Alpena.

“It’s really nice that they appreciate it because they’re very appreciated by everybody here,” said Szatkowski. “We provide for them, and in return, they come back, they’re always here.”

Winning this award is not something Player’s takes lightly, as they appreciated the community support that they’ve received.

“They put a lot of work and effort into what they do and try their best to make people happy and hope you can provide quality, and as long as people are happy, that’s what we want,” said Szatkowski.

Player’s Pub will be going for their fourth Best Grub Crawl Spot trophy in five years in 2024.