Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Rex’s Rendezvous is in the hands of a third generation of the Watters family.
To celebrate the change of ownership from Robin P. Watters to his daughter, Crystal; Robin’s “retirement”; and 50 years of operation for the Watters family, the downtown Warsaw establishment had a big celebration Sunday, which included a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce.
Crystal, who has been working at Rex’s for the last eight years, took ownership July 1. She said she wanted to take over the ownership because of the legacy and the nostalgia.
“Something to continue on a little bit especially when I have the capability to,” she said as everyone was waiting for Robin to arrive to his surprise “retirement party” aspect of Sunday’s events.
For the first couple months of planning Sunday’s event, it was all word of mouth and Crystal tried to keep it as quiet as possible. She didn’t put a Facebook event page together until the very last minute, and she even had to block her dad from her Facebook page so he wouldn’t be able to see the event. There were a couple close calls, so she thought he was a little suspicious that something was going to happen Sunday, but she didn’t think he was going to expect any of it.
“I think he’s just going to be happy. These are people who have shaped his life for the last 50 years. They’ve seen him up and down. They’ve watched me grow up. They’ve went to my grandparents’ funerals. They’ve been at this bar top, sometimes more than they’ve been at home, and they’re just as important to him as he is to him. So I think this is going to be a really beautiful thing for him, to be able to have all these people who love him in one place,” Crystal stated.
Once Robin arrived through the back door, everyone cheered. He took the time to shake everyone’s hands and thank them as they congratulated him. The people filled the establishment from the back to the front and even outside in front as part of South Buffalo Street was closed off for the event.
Before the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Robin explained his dad got the business from Kip Keener, who had it for 20 years. A county sheriff owned it for a while before that, and the original owner, a Gerard, started the building in 1933 when Prohibition was lifted.
Prior to being Rex’s Rendezvous, it was known as The Grill. “As far as I know, that’s what it was always called,” Robin said.
Robin’s father, Rex, bought it in 1977. Robin was three months away from being 21.
“I worked in the kitchen until I turned old enough to be 21 and went behind the bar,” Robin said. “It’s kind of a heritage thing. My dad was in the tavern business 46 years. I’ve been in it 49 years now. My daughter has been in it like 12 years.”
He said it’s always been a good thing and they’ve always enjoyed serving the customers and knowing the people.
“It’s just been great,” Robin stated. “A lot of the people that’s in there I’ve known their grandfathers, their dads and now them. And, unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of them pass.”
As to why he wanted to retire now, Robin said his dad sold it to him at 70 years old and he wanted to sell it to his daughter at 70 years old. He won’t actually be 70 until January, but he said it was close enough for him.
Robin said the reason they’ve survived and done so well is because “we’ve always looked at the community and changed with the community and changed with the times, just like going nonsmoking. We’ve always tried staying up with the times.”
As far as any changes coming to Rex’s Rendezvous under her ownership, Crystal said besides it going nonsmoking on July 1, “outside of that, I want Rex’s to continue to be the community safe place that it’s always been.” She said the nonsmoking rule has gone well so far. “I think moving forward, it’s only going to be an asset to us.”
She’s also a huge supporter of the downtown DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) program.
“It’s one of my favorite programs right now. I’m a huge supporter of the DORA program. I love the capability of people to sit outside. It makes businesses look more approachable. It makes downtown feel more lively, and I’m happy to not only support it, but participate in it,” Crystal stated.
Robin said he’s remodeled the place five or six times over the years. He’s been on his hands and knees redoing the floor “countless, countless times” because he does have a wood floor.
Besides drinks, he said the food is great there. “We hand make all of our own potato salad, cole slaw.”
Technically, the Watters’ 50th anniversary of operating Rex’s Rendezvous would be February, but Crystal pointed out no one likes a party in February so she decided to celebrate the milestone a little early and have some fun.
“Very good turnout, so far, and people are going to continue rolling in,” she agreed. “I went grocery shopping with my dad as a child all those years. A lot of people know him and a lot of people love him. Me included.”
The band The Super Kools played at Rex’s Rendezvous, 204 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, until about 4 p.m. Sunday. Radio station WIOE was set up outside playing music.
“We’ll be selling pours of our very first barrel pick today and moving forward. We did a barrel pick with WhistlePig. It is a one-of-a-kind bourbon. There will never be another one like it. It’s the first time Rex’s has ever done a barrel pick, and it’s in honor of Robin, so each bottle has his initials on it,” Crystal explained.
A barrel pick is when a distillery makes a one-off, one-of-a-kind barrel booze.
“What they do is they sell them off. You buy the barrel, and then they bottle the entire barrel for you. So, moving forward, until that barrel is gone, we’ll have pours of Rex’s first pick in honor of Robin Watters. WhistlePig rye whiskey. As a neat pour, or a rocks pour, for $8 a pour. I’m selling it off at cost. I don’t have any interest in making money off that one. It is in honor of him and his legacy and my grandpa’s,” she said.
To the community, Robin said, “It’s been a pleasure. A pleasure to know you and serve you, and I hope I know you for a lot longer.”
