Thistledown & Row

Est. 2025 |Buchanan, MI

The front facade of Thistledown & Row on Days Avenue in Downtown Buchanan, MI
Pre-restoration shot of the bar at Thistledown & Row, which was completely sunken in and had leaks in the ceiling.
A 1950's photograph of the Reddent Block, half of which currently houses Thistledown & Row. This building has played host to a number of restaurants over the years since it's construction at the end of the 19th century.
Pre-restoration shot of the dining room at Thistledown & Row.
The dining room at Thistledown & Row which features cozy banquettes along the walls and bistro tables throughout

Thistledown & Row occupies two unique buildings on Days Avenue in Buchanan, Michigan. One half is part of the Historic Redden Block, built in the late 19th century, and the other half, an early 20th century construction. When exactly the two buildings were connected is unclear, but over the past 100 years, this space has housed multiple businesses, the most recent of which closed in the early 1990’s. Since then the building has largely been in disrepair until a local property group decided to purchase and restore the building in 2022.

A piece of Buchanan History

River Saint Joe Brewery, located just a mile away from Thistledown & Row, is Buchanan Craft's other venture.

The next chapter begins

Buchanan Craft, the organization behind River Saint Joe Brewery, located in Buchanan Township, were approached to bring a new restaurant Downtown to this restored space.

With a vision to serve their ciders, made with local SW MI apples, and their Michigan-made wines, Thistledown & Row was born, and opened it’s doors on January 1st, 2025.

Locally founded & minded

Like River Saint Joe, Thistledown & Row is also created with a mind to thoughtfully-sourced and locally grown ingredients, with an emphasis on produce from Flatwater Farms, the farm which River Saint Joe calls home.