Unruly Brewing Company — Restaurant in Muskegon

Saturday, Dec. 21st, Dan Parker Celebrated "Free Art Friday" by Giving Away Paintings from His Russell Block Exhibition, @Muskegon, @UnrulyBrewing

He gave away all but two of his paintings he had exhibited on the particle board that once separated Drip Drop Drink from the construction in the Russell Block. A work by Robyn Bomhof aside, these paintings constituted the first art exhibition in the Russell Block building since the building had inhabitants again in May of 2013. When Unruly Brewing Company prepared for opening, the particle board came down and the paintings were kept safe until Parker could arrange for pickup.

Parker was peculiar in the way he structured the exhibit at the Russell Block. He didn't catalog the paintings. He didn't label the paintings with titles. The exhibition appeared anonymously, without even a sign to identify the works of arts as art by Danny Parker. Parker has never been a publicity hound; however, this might have been his most secretive exhibition ever.

Parker arrived to pick up the works of art Saturday in the late afternoon. He was hurried because he had to report for the night shift at one of the two pubs where he tends bar.

He had loaded two of the works of art into a car, which might have been the one purchased at A.S.A.P. Automotive, Getty Street, for a thousand dollars flat. Then he saw a crowd of early customers for Unruly's evening business. So he made his way around the bar, reaching out to customers, and he gifted the remaining works to bar patrons willing to take care of them. By one estimate, this is at least ten works that Parker gave away personally. His friends have heard him fantasize about this bold move for about a year now. The vibe in the newly opened Russell Block gave him the scene where the "Free Art Friday" action could be executed.

It's been a frustrating year for Parker, still recovering from a back injury sustained while shoveling snow last winter. He's been working so hard at two jobs that he's had to arrive late to art events held in his honor. Without proper studio space, and his painting method requires plenty of space, his output has dwindled.

If you were a recipient at Parker's first "Free Art Friday", please take good care of your original Danny Parker.

Will Free Art Friday Catch on...

Edit: 1 yr later...

We have been coming here off and of for the last year, mostly with friends to listen to the bands that pass through. Their beers have improved quite well but still more IPA than I’d probably prefer (because IPA are not my bag)

The pizza is even better than when rebel pies opened a while ago and they are definitely worth the price, buzzed or not... lol. I am a pizza purist and putting pineapple on a pizza is sacrilegious..... BUT! And that’s a big but (that’s what he said) their Polynesian farmer pizza is pretty god damn tasty. The Gyro pizza is pretty great too if you like that kind of thing (which I’m a fan of)

I bumped up the review an extra star due to their improvements even though I like pidgin hills beers more, this place has a much better atmosphere.

Well done unruly, well done.

Awesome food and atmosphere. The beer is all really disappointing though. I'm not an IPA guy, I prefer stouts and lagers but after trying 12 different flights I didn't find a single beer that wasn't bitter and left a bad aftertaste. Their "orangejulice" tasted like a woman's hair salon, which was to say... burned hair curlers, haha. It suns as bad as it tasted, believe me. Decent spot if you're looking fir a bite and they have lots of live music during the week. Pass on the brews though, which is a shame. There's some really good brewerys in the muskegon area, this just isn't one of them. Well they are decent to be fair, just not awesome like...

Im really torn. I wish I could give a better review because I enjoy the people here but this place might have brewed beer, but unruly doesn’t feel like you’re going to a brewery with friends. Children are everywhere at this brewery and are allowed to RUN in and out of the building, without supervision and I’m constantly almost knocked over. I understand that parents can bring their children to a bar if they want but the staff doesn’t hold the parents accountable when their children are running around. I wish this place was more of a brewery so I felt safer drinking here. I constantly feel like I have to censor myself due to the many children allowed to roam around in and out of the bar. Basically if you want to get drunk with you children around this is a great spot to bring your kids, but if you want a break from your own children this isn’t the place to go. I’m sorry but I don’t believe a brewery should be so ok with children running a muck. I come here regularly and that’s how I know this. I will continue to keep going but I really hope they get a handle on these kids running...