Feature Stories for NAU's The Lumberjack

Features Writing Sample: The McMillan gives new life to historic building

The past and the present blur on the corner of East Route 66 and North Leroux Street, where the McMillan Building stands as the oldest building in downtown Flagstaff. Since 1886, the building has witnessed the changing Flagstaff scene in its nearly two centuries standing. Now, The McMillan Bar and Kitchen operates out of the historic location, giving the former bank hotel new life as a modern eatery. The McMillan upholds its legacy of hospitality by welcoming locals and tourists alike to “drink in the history.”

The McMillan Building was originally The Bank Hotel Building. The National Park Service lists it on its National Register of Historic Places, which ensures the building’s indefinite preservation in near-original conditions. The McMillan building is included in Flagstaff’s Railroad Addition Historic District. 

Tucker Woodbury, the founder of The McMillan Bar and Kitchen and co-founder of its parent company, Genuine Concepts, has been involved in the restaurant’s creation and development since obtaining the space in 2012.

Thomas McMillan, who was one of the first Flagstaff settlers, bought the building during its construction and was the original owner. The McMillan Building still remains in the original family’s ownership. Ed Fleming, a member of the McMillan family, is the landlord of the building and offered the space to Woodbury and his team in 2012.

This May, The McMillan Bar and Kitchen will celebrate its 10th anniversary. 

When surveying the building for the first time, Woodbury said he and his team immediately fell in love with the exterior. From that point forward, their vision was to create a historic tavern. 

However, the interior of the building had modifications, which did not fit the historic look Woodbury’s team was going for. The red brick walls were concealed behind drywall, and the original flooring was covered in carpeting.

“When we saw that building, we said, ‘We’ve got to bring this thing back to its old glory and make it a neat little watering hole,’” Woodbury said. “We just started peeling everything away and got over-the-top enthused because a lot of our projects, especially at the time, were adaptive reuse projects and all driven by cool architecture.”

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