Rare Bird Brewpub
Rare Bird Brewpub is a founder-owned craft brewpub and restaurant in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, brewing house craft beers alongside a 35-tap selection and serving a locally-sourced food menu to local residents and visitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersTraverse City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rare Bird Brewpub does
Rare Bird Brewpub is a single-location craft brewpub and restaurant operating from a restored 1931 red brick building at 229 Lake Avenue in downtown Traverse City, Michigan. Founded by Nate Crane (front-of-house manager) and Tina Schuett (brewer/owner), the business produces approximately six house-brewed craft beers on tap at any time — including styles such as American Pale Ale, Belgian IPA, Chocolate Milk Stout, and Honey Blonde — using locally-sourced Michigan hops and malt whenever possible. The 35-tap rotation additionally features selections from Michigan, national, and international breweries, supplemented by wine, cider, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages. The food menu emphasizes simple, familiar items with locally-sourced ingredients, served in a venue that includes reclaimed-wood booths, a German bier hall seating area, and an outdoor patio with bar seating.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model with multiple revenue streams: dine-in food and beverage sales, online ordering for pickup and growler fills via ToastTab, gift card sales, branded merchandise (clothing, hats, mugs, stickers), and the Bird Bucks loyalty program (1 point per $1 spent, $5 off every 100 points). The company is founder-owned and bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional investment, serving local Traverse City residents and visitors through walk-in traffic and community-driven marketing (Facebook, Instagram, website). As of April 16, 2026, the brewpub is temporarily closed until further notice.
Rare Bird Brewpub firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rare Bird Brewpub
- Legal name
- Rare Bird Brewpub
- Website
- https://rarebirdbrewpub.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rare Bird Brewpub is a founder-owned craft brewpub and restaurant in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, brewing house craft beers alongside a 35-tap selection and serving a locally-sourced food menu to local residents and visitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Rare Bird Brewpub is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Traverse City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rare Bird Brewpub business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue stream from dine-in food service and alcoholic beverage sales including house-brewed beers, wines from other Michigan and international wineries, ciders, and spirits. The kitchen serves simple, familiar items with unique flair using locally-sourced ingredients when possible.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of Rare Bird branded merchandise including clothing (t-shirts, hats, beanies), drinkware (mugs), stickers, and accessories through their online shop and in-person at the brewpub.
- Gift Cards: Gift cards sold through ToastTab platform that can be used for any purchase including Rare Bird Gear and curbside meal or growler pickup.
- Loyalty Program (Bird Bucks): Loyalty program where customers earn 1 point for every $1 spent and unlock $5 off for every 100 points earned, driving repeat customer engagement and revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour Specials |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Rare Bird Brewpub product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rare Bird Brewpub operates a craft brewpub and restaurant at 229 Lake Avenue in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, serving approximately six house-brewed craft beers alongside a 35-tap selection of beers, wines, ciders, and spirits from Michigan, national, and international producers. The food menu features simple, familiar items with locally-sourced ingredients, complemented by branded merchandise, gift cards, and a loyalty rewards program.
Product overview
Rare Bird Brewpub is a single-location craft brewpub and restaurant in Traverse City, Michigan, operating from a restored 1931 building. The core offering centers on house-brewed craft beers (typically six on tap, brewed by Tina Schuett using local Michigan ingredients), complemented by a full food menu, wine, cider, and spirits across 35 taps. The business extends through loyalty rewards (Bird Bucks), gift cards, and branded merchandise. A related community initiative called Pour for More supports local nonprofits through monthly featured pours at regional venues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pour For More: A Michigan 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2016 by Rare Bird owner and brewer Tina Schuett. The organization selects 12 Northern Michigan nonprofits for monthly featured pours at local breweries, taprooms, wineries, and coffee shops.
- Bird Bucks
Products and services
- Rare Bird Brewpub (Dine-In Restaurant and Bar Experience) A craft brewpub and restaurant located in a restored 1931 red brick building in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, offering house-brewed beers, food service, and a full bar experience open daily from noon to 10 PM.
- House-Brewed Craft Beers Approximately six house-brewed craft beers on tap at any given time, including styles such as American Pale Ale, Belgian IPA, Cream Ale, Amber Ale, Brown Ale, Belgian Rye IPA, IPA, Chocolate Milk Stout, Blonde Ale, Wit, Belgian Special, Porter, and Honey Blonde. Brewed by Tina Schuett using local Michigan hops and malt whenever possible.
- Food Menu Restaurant food menu featuring simple, familiar items served with unique flair, using locally-sourced ingredients when possible. Includes a special dietary menu and kids menu.
- Beer, Wine, Cider & Liquor Selection In addition to house brews, offers 35 taps featuring beers from around Michigan, the nation, and the world, plus bottles, wine, cider, liquor (including Grey Goose, Titos, Bombay Sapphire, Hendricks, and various whiskeys), and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Rare Bird Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards redeemable for any purchase including Rare Bird Gear and curbside meal or growler pickup. Available through the ToastTab platform.
- Rare Bird Merchandise Branded merchandise including clothing (t-shirts, crews), hats (caps, dad hats, 5-panel hats), accessories (stickers, mugs), and seasonal items (beanies, Carhartt beanies). Available for purchase through the online shop and in-person at the brewpub.
Companies that use Rare Bird Brewpub
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rare Bird Brewpub technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Rare Bird Brewpub partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Pour for MorecorePour for More is a Michigan 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2016 by Rare Bird owner and brewer Tina Schuett. The organization has a board of 5 local members and selects 12 Northern Michigan nonprofits monthly for featured pours at locally crafted breweries, taprooms, wineries, and coffee shops. Examples include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern MI, Arts For All Northern Michigan, The Groundwork Center, and Inland Seas Education Association. Rare Bird participates by featuring monthly nonprofit pours, demonstrating community engagement and local nonprofit support.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Rare Bird Brewpub competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Customer concentration
Rare Bird Brewpub social profiles
Digital presenceRare Bird Brewpub financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rare Bird Brewpub leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Rare Bird Brewpub funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rare Bird Brewpub M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rare Bird Brewpub
What does Rare Bird Brewpub do?
Rare Bird Brewpub operates a craft brewpub and restaurant at 229 Lake Avenue in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, serving approximately six house-brewed craft beers alongside a 35-tap selection of beers, wines, ciders, and spirits from Michigan, national, and international producers. The food menu features simple, familiar items with locally-sourced ingredients, complemented by branded merchandise, gift cards, and a loyalty rewards program.
Is Rare Bird Brewpub a public or private company?
Rare Bird Brewpub is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Rare Bird Brewpub founded?
Rare Bird Brewpub was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rare Bird Brewpub based?
Rare Bird Brewpub is headquartered in Traverse City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rare Bird Brewpub make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, gift Cards and loyalty Program (Bird Bucks).
Does Rare Bird Brewpub have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rare Bird Brewpub.