From retail to relaxation
Rusty Petunias becomes Rusty’s Corks & Cocktails
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ALPENA – What began as a spontaneous effort to fill an empty storefront in downtown Alpena has evolved into a cozy lounge where friends gather for cocktails, charcuterie, and conversation.
Owner Laura Shearer opened Rusty Petunias Marketplace years ago after moving to the area. The original concept quickly shifted based on what local customers wanted.
"The business was Rusty Petunias Marketplace in the beginning. I opened the business on a whim, because I didn't want to see another empty building in Alpena," Shearer said. "I was very new to the area. It was originally supposed to be a home decor and repurposed furniture store with vendors, artists."
Not long after opening, Shearer realized the demand leaned more toward a home decor and gift store. That model sustained the business for several years until broader economic pressures set in.
"Around two years ago retail and customers for the retail side started to diminish," Shearer said. "Tourism got slower on our side of the state, which meant less sales on retail. Then tariffs hit. That was a huge hit. When I went to market in January to purchase more retail goods, that's when I knew I needed to close Rusty Petunias and make the building a large relaxing lounge."
The transformation into Rusty's Corks & Cocktails marked a natural progression of an idea that had already taken root. The bar component did not appear overnight.
After about three years in business, Shearer added what she called "liquid patients" for the spouses, partners and family members who grew tired of waiting while others shopped. That practical solution became the wine and beer bar. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed construction, but once building resumed, the bar area expanded, and craft cocktails followed.
"As time went on the bar area got bigger and craft cocktails began," Shearer said.
The upstairs space also found a new purpose. In late 2023, Shearer installed an indoor golf simulator, a move previously reported by The Alpena News. At the time, she told the newspaper the idea grew out of rainy weather that kept her and her daughter from outdoor golf, combined with her daughter's golf team needing more swing practice. The simulator offered dozens of virtual courses, a driving range and short-game challenges, rented by the hour.
Shearer confirmed the motivation remains the same today.
"The simulator actually started when I realized we needed more winter activities and my daughter’s golf team was struggling to get more swing time in," she said. "Nothing more than that."
Despite the scale of the recent conversion from retail-focused marketplace to full lounge, Shearer said the physical changes felt natural.
"Honestly the change was not hard at all," Shearer said. "I love to decorate and stage, so it was easy for me. Actually, running a full-time lounge is very different from anything I have ever done, but it is fun."
The guest experience has shifted accordingly. Where customers once ordered at the bar and found their own seats, staff now provide table service for a more relaxed atmosphere. Busy nights can still create short waits for drinks as the team fine-tunes operations, Shearer noted.
What has proved most rewarding, she said, is watching the space fill with locals creating their own traditions.
"It has been wonderful watching our community coming in on date nights, ladies' nights out, men's nights out, or just meeting up with other couples and friends," Shearer said. "My goal was to make it feel like you are sitting in a friend's living room, or in a private space. We see large groups sitting and visiting all the time, welcoming strangers to join them too."
"People are always laughing, families know they can bring in their kids because it is not a typical bar. Our guests love the food we have to offer," Shearer added.
The lounge also serves as a flexible venue for gatherings. The upstairs and downstairs areas can be rented for private parties for a fee, or sections can be reserved at no charge for smaller groups.
From an impulse decision to occupy a vacant downtown building to a full-service cocktail lounge that doubles as a community living room, Shearer's business has continually adapted. The golf simulator remains available for winter practice, the menu features sandwiches, flatbreads, charcuterie boards and craft cocktails, and the doors stay open to both regulars and visitors seeking a comfortable place to settle in.