Last year on a lazy Friday night, I found myself tagging along with some friends to Holland to repair a dirt bike. Oh the adventures you find yourself in while in college. On our way, we drove past a giant barn on the side of the road. When I saw it, I commented on how random its location seemed, and one of my friends replied “That’s The Barn. It’s a restaurant up top and on the bottom it’s a line dancing bar.”
My eyes lit up. My love for country music and dancing in general made me abundantly curious about The Barn and I knew I was going to find some way—despite not having a car and it being twenty minutes away from campus—to get to there and learn how to country line dance.
I’ve learned that country music is somewhat of a sensitive subject, people either hate it, or love it. Most of my friends happen to love it, but they still did not share my desire to go on this latest adventure. When I told them about my random hidden gem, and extreme desire to try it out, not everyone had the same reaction. I’ll admit, it was probably a little strange to have no clue about this place, connection, or reason to go, but after a persistent few months of begging my friend—who actually had a car—to try it out, we all threw on our best flannel and took off.
The first time entering The Barn (actually named The Pipeline Bar and Grill), is a moment I’ll never forget. It isn’t glamorous, there is a lot of camo and cowboy boots, and the dancefloor is just a cleared off portion of the cement floor surrounded by picnic tables. But for me, it was perfect. My friends were a little more hesitant, especially when I hopped on the floor next to someone who looked experienced and started learning my first dance within five minutes of arriving. It isn’t as difficult as people think, you just have to be willing to screw up and laugh at yourself a few times to get the hang of it. There were many times I stepped on people, bumped into them during an unexpected spin, or quickly excused myself from the dance floor when a difficult song came on, but I knew I loved it within the first hour.
My hyped, first time visit to The Barn has ballooned into a semi-regular thing. My obsession with this hidden line dancing bar used to be a big joke among my friends. They even bought me cowgirl boots for my birthday so I could truly being a “regular” at The Barn when dancing. For any free weekend or celebratory event, people know that’s where I am headed. I’ve learned the basics and patterns to most of the dances, and love teaching new comers just like I was taught. It’s always a fun time full of laughs and learning.
Stumbling upon The Barn during that random college adventure is one of my favorite memories from last year. It was a hidden gem that is now a part of my personal community here in West Michigan. It’s a unique thing I’ve found to do here that I would’ve never guessed we even have. I think many people think West Michigan is just downtown Grand Rapids and the Lakeshore beaches, but this line dancing bar is proof of the many opportunities we have to do something different no matter what your interests are.
