Uncle Mike's goes 'Big'

After coming under new ownership last year, downtown Tiffin ice cream shop Uncle Mike's Dairy Bar has been renamed and revamped. The restaurant will now be called Big Mike's, and serve burgers and chicken chunks with MST Sauce Co. sauces, along with a limited selection of desserts and ice cream, a release states. The new owner of Big Mike's, Danny Perry, purchased the business and building at 274 S. Washington St. in June 2021 for $165,000, it states. In 2022, he plans to renovate the building's facade and exterior, and insulate the interior. "We are excited about this new endeavor, and we want to enhance the Uncle Mike's tradition of offering great food and a great experience in downtown Tiffin," Perry said in the release. In a social media post, Perry explained the new Big Mike's philosophy as offering fewer items at the highest quality and efficiency possible. Additionally, Big Mike's will now be the launching point for the Tiffin Pedal Company, Perry's other business, which rents and provides tours on 14-seat party bikes. Previously, TPC's launch point was MST Pub and Grub. However, Perry's partnership with MST hasn't ended: the new menu items at Big Mike's will feature sauces from MST Sauce Co., a condiment company owned by Chris Chase, who also owns MST Pub and Grub. Chase started MST Sauce Co. in 2021 with three flavors of sauce and a signature dry rub, sold online and in local retailers like Simply Susan's, Molyet's and Heritage IGA. "We are happy to partner with Danny on his exciting new venture," Chase said. "It's a great example of local business owners working together in downtown Tiffin." As for the new name, "Big Mike's," Perry said he chose it to honor his father, who was nicknamed "Big Mike" by his friends. In the social media post, Perry called his father "the best man I have ever known." Perry is a 2006 graduate of Calvert High School, and works at Champs Barber Shop in downtown Tiffin. He's also a partial owner of Perriott Rentals, a family business that owns properties in Tiffin and Findlay. He plans to run Big Mike's with his wife, Katie. The new general manager of Big Mike's will be Zack Perkins, according to Perry's social media. Perkins played a key role in developing the new menu and logo for Big Mike's, as did Alexandra Beckley, Perry's cousin and the logo's artist.