HopCat Line Spans A City Block

Scott Lashuay could have been number one in line at HopCat. When he rolled past the pub Friday night and realized there was no one camping, he decided stick it out. Lashuay says, "I slept in the McDonald's parking lot for about an hour or so," periodically getting out to check on the line. Around 4 a.m. the first person arrived and Lashuay decided to join him, pulling out the camp chairs that happened to be in his car.

Sitting under a white fitted sheet with no gloves, he says none of this was planned, but "HopCat's a big deal and it's something to do. They're breaking a record for Short's beers on tap." As for the sought after crack fries, Lashuay says, "I've never had them before."

Scott Lashuay is second in line.

David Boss has tried crack fries. "I've actually been to all the HopCats in Grand Rapids and East Lansing," he says. Last in line as of 9:15 a.m., Boss estimates there are about 150 people in front of him, and is still hopeful he'll get to eat his fill for free. "They're probably the most tastefully over-seasoned things you've ever eaten," he says, describing the mounds of salt and black pepper that coat the beer-battered fries. Boss plans to stick around for the fries and then come back later with a friend.

As for Lashuay, he's not sure how long he'll stick around after the opening. "I might have a couple [beers] and then wait for a friend to pick me up," he says. "I've been up since 6 p.m. on Thursday, so I don't know if I can do much more."

For more details on the HopCat grand opening, visit our gallery.