My first memory of The Sand Bar was going there with my parents and grand-parents on the Fourth of July. Erica and Niel were along of course. Irene gave us a roll of quarters and we played pinball while the grownups had beers. It was the first time I ever used a Jukebox, and I played Tusk by Fleetwood Mac. The drums were enticing to me... they always have been.

   By the time I was 13 years old I would ride my bike to Saugatuck from Holland with my friends. I remember doing so one Summer afternoon. We went to see Bill making fudge at King's Candy Corner, and then we went to The Sand Bar and played some pool until the cops came and made us leave.

   When Sister Erica married John, the wedding party eft the wedding in a limo and stopped at The Sand Bar for shots before heading to the reception. It was a special moment that could only be had at The Sand Bar.

   I've had the good fortune to have played live music with a number of bands at The Sand Bar; Squarefoot, Aguagato, John Sinclair and his Saugatuck Blues Scholars, The Saugatuck Blues Scholars, Those Fabulous Bastards, The Blue Star Six and The Last Call Band... and it has always been a great time!

   As an audience member, watching VODA at The Sand Bar was always the best!!Incredible!!! The Bar would be packed with crazy, sweaty, drunk people bouncing into and off of each other as VODA rocked out. The floor would be wet with beer and sweat, and you would have to be careful if you wanted to keep your head end up. Now and then they would let me sing UNCONTROLABLE URGE by Devo with them, which was a very special honor for me. They were a HELL of a band!

 

My first memories of The Sand Bar are vague because I was so young. (as I got of age, there may be a few OTHER reeasons everything is vague) I remember being 3 or 4 sitting on a bar stool carving my name in the bar(with a little help i'm sure!) I am a third generation Giles in Saugatuck and times were different then so my family broke me in early! My Mom (Barb) and my Aunt Theresa were sure to introduce me as my Grandfather (Embrit) and Uncles (Bill and Butch) were scolding them for it relentlessly. I love The Sand Bar and always will. Even when I moved away for almost 10 years, it was somewhere I always had to go when I was home to visit.
Now I am home again permanently so I hope to see you all more often! It's good to be home
 

I first visited when I was in... 2nd grade I think. My aunt (irene), uncle (bill), and papou (nick) owned it. So, free quarters from auntie, pool lessons from uncle bill, and 'get the hell outta here' from papou.


moved back to town when i was 19, so i wasn't able to drink, but came in at any time of night for cherry cokes and euros with papou. there was nothing better than living above the sand bar for the summer. had the time of my life.
the jukebox and live bands put me to sleep every night ;)

and does sarah still work there? had a small crush...
 

Fall of 2003. Four brothers meet at your place. One from Chicago, one from Virgina, one from Maryland and one from Green Bay. They were there to see their mother who lived 45 minutes north. However, they knew were the cold beer and good times were, so they stayed down the street from you.

The brother from Green Bay just got engaged. Here at the Sand Bar, the best man was named and the "wedding song" was written out on a paper napkin. The brothers then practiced this song until the bartender loving told them it sucked!! HAHAHA.


I'm not sure who the bartender was that night (cute young blond), but I owe her a HUGE thank you for saving my wedding guest from a group of middle age coon howlers!!

Can't wait to see you guys again!