A Brand Bar in Columbus

Here’s an Oshkosh native now residing in the taproom at Cercis Brewing in Columbus.

That bar and back bar have all the distinct markings of the tavern furniture made by Robert Brand and Sons in the 1930s and 1940s. Brand and Sons was a woodworking company that was in operation from the 1860s into the 1960s on Ceape Avenue in Oshkosh. Brand was famous for its saloon furniture and fixtures.

The bar at Cercis Brewing used to be at Recreation Lanes, a bowling alley that opened on South Main Street in the fall of 1939. The bar was still there when Rec Lanes closed in 2017.

From Oshkosh it went to Columbus where the restored bar is now the centerpiece of the tap room at Cercis Brewing. The Art Deco design is as eye-catching as ever. I’m glad it found a good home.