A small café that opened on Highway M-28 in 2006 has grown into one of Baraga County's longest-running restaurants, and the community is throwing a party to prove it.

Hardwood Steakhouse at 12865 Highway M-28 in Covington will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a public party Saturday, Aug. 22, from 2 to 9 p.m., according to a Baraga County Chamber of Commerce press release issued Wednesday, Aug. 5. The celebration will feature pulled pork sandwiches, mac and cheese, coleslaw, cocktails and live music by MC Whitehorse.

The chamber called the milestone a remarkable achievement, citing the trust the restaurant has earned across Baraga County over two decades.

Twenty years is a long run. In Covington, an unincorporated community of 99 people along M-28, it borders on extraordinary. The restaurant is family-run, and according to its own website, the majority of its employees have remained on staff since the doors opened, cooking and serving the same dishes that built the place's reputation.

What started as a small café has transformed into a full steakhouse with homemade pastas, sauces, soups, steaks, ribs and a salad bar. Prime rib specials run Friday and Saturday nights. Thursday is Mexican food night. The restaurant is open every day except Christmas and maintains a full bar.

Baraga County's entire employed workforce numbered about 2,900 people in 2024, according to federal data, and retail trade ranked among the county's top three employment sectors with 318 workers. A restaurant that has kept its founding staff employed for two decades represents a meaningful anchor in that small economy.

Hardwood draws diners from Covington, Watton, Alberta, Sidnaw and across the Upper Peninsula, plus tourists traveling the M-28 corridor. Chamber Executive Director Dianne Koskinen's office issued the formal congratulations on behalf of the organization, which is based in L'Anse.

The Aug. 22 party is open to customers, neighbors and friends. Groups of six or more should call at least one hour ahead at (906) 355-2712.