Hey friends, Jer here.
I'm not ashamed to admit that when I'm having a sucky day, I turn to tasty food around Detroit to feel better.
Thanks to a tip from podcast listener Alex on Patreon-member only Discord, I learned that Bev's Bagels was having their soft opening on Saturday — and man, am I glad I went.
It's in part of the old Detroit Institute of Bagels spot in the Core City neighborhood, near a collection of businesses and eateries around a courtyard on Grand River, just south of Warren.
This is a project by James Beard Award-nominated chef Max Sussman, and Bev's leans in on bagel sandwiches and organic sourdough bagels. The spot is named after his grandma.
This isn't his first bagel rodeo, of course — there has been a series of pop-ups around Ann Arbor that will continue even as this brick-and-mortar spot is open.
I indulged twice at Bev's.
First, the Pizza bialy. People love the concept of pizza bagels — probably thanks to frozen-food favorites like Bagel Bites — but this Bialy is in a league of its own.
First, the pepperoni is exactly how I like it, with a little bit of cup action and crispy ridges. This is gonna cure my pizza craving for weeks it's so good.
Key to the Pizza bialy vs. the bagel is that there is no hole. That means it holds the toppings much better. It's also not crazy hard, so it was easy to eat.
I washed it down with some of my Casamara Club (a local non-alcoholic leisure soda that we've highlighted on the podcast before), and headed into what I had originally planned, breakfast.
"Over My Egg Body" has fried egg, cooper sharp cheese, and spicy mayo. I upped it with breakfast sausage on an Everything bagel.
On Instagram, Bev's says their hours (until they can expand them) are 9a-2p, seven days a week. You can find them at 4884 Grand River Avenue.
👀 Eye Spy: Coffee at the corner
It looks like a fourth location for James Oliver Coffee is on the way to Detroit's Woodbridge neighborhood.
Their flagship is in Corktown, with outposts in the Guardian Building in downtown Detroit and a spot in downtown Wyandotte.
I saw the sign on West Forest and Trumbull over the weekend, in what should be a cute corner spot in a recently rehabbed building.
I don't think, just by looking at it, that it'll be the biggest place — but as we predicted on the podcast a couple years ago, small is the new big.
When I have more for you on this, I'll let you know.
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🎓 Ono, out: But why? On Sunday night broke the news that University of Michigan president Santa Ono was leaving to take a job heading up the University of Florida. It seemed a bit odd, as he had just signed a multi-year extension to his contract.
Well, now we know: Divisions over how to respond publicly to executive orders by President Donald Trump. After many months of work in lockstep with Ono, Democratic-majority Regents penned a never-published piece for the New York Times that Ono refused to sign — and he took it as an insult. [Detroit News]
Norris Howard joined me to talk about all this in a segment on today's Daily Detroit podcast. [Website] [Apple Podcasts]
⚾️ Javy Báez has rebounded in a big way after a lackluster time on the Tigers squad. What's different now? Fletcher Sharpe looked at that and talked about how he thought the Detroit Pistons could have won their series against the Knicks. [Daily Detroit] [Apple Podcasts]
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🏝️ New apartments with “resort-style amenities” opened up in downtown Birmingham. Birmingham Pointe, a new mixed-use development in the Triangle District, has 152 upscale one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and penthouses.
There's a 12,000 square foot rooftop deck with pool, an 8,000 square foot European-style courtyard, and a 5,000 square foot fitness center.
It was developed and designed by a number of Michigan-based firms including FHS Birmingham, The Forbes Company, Hunter Pasteur Homes, Soave Real Estate, and others.
It doesn’t come cheap — I went over to the website, and a one-bedrooms start at $3,300 a month. But if you're into fancy, go take a look.
🏫 The Detroit Public Schools Community District is transforming the shuttered and historic Cooley High into a $25 million state-of-the-art sports complex.
Set to open in 2026, press materials say that initial funding will be for architectural designs, fencing, lighting, and a football field/track stadium for Cody and youth football in the area.
Plans include preserving a part of the building for a locker room, weight room, community gathering space, and a dedication to Cooley alumni.
Future plans could include a pair of buildings, one for multiple basketball/volleyball courts and another one for an indoor football, track, lacrosse and soccer field.
The funding will be a mix of money from the state ($15 million) and the Detroit Public Schools Community Foundation ($10 million).
A couple of years ago, the DPSCD board rejected a proposal by a non-profit to buy the building for $1 million after years of negotiations. [Bridge Detroit]
✈️ Davis Aerospace Technical High School is flying back to its roots at Detroit City Airport thanks to a $7 million investment from the school district and the Detroit Public Schools Community Foundation.
The money will pay for a new school building at the Coleman A. Young International Airport on the city's east side.
The move will allow students to get hands-on experience with real aircraft while training for high-paying aviation careers. The expanded facility will double enrollment to 200 students when it opens in 2027.
🎸 Before I go, I've got to acknowledge that today — May 6 — is the birthday of Bob Seger. Born in Detroit, raised in Ann Arbor (and I think still living in the area), there's nothing like some Old Time Rock 'n Roll.
Above, I embedded a short interview segment with Seger about recording "Live Bullet" at Cobo Hall.
When it comes to the "music of their life," Seger is most important to our podcast producer Shianne. So I'll share you what she sent me when I told her I was going to "Turn the Page" over to him in our music segment.
When I was growing up my mom would listen to two records on repeat. Blood on the Tracks by Bob Dylan and Live Bullet by Bob Seger. She would always talk about being in the audience at Cobo Hall for the recording. His music has served as the soundtrack of my life. I was able to see him in concert with both of my parents... I danced with my dad to “In Your Time” at my wedding thirteen years ago, and I played it at his wake when he passed away seven years ago this month.
Her favorite songs: In Your Time, Jody Girl, and Fire Lake.
Happy 80th, Bob. Thanks for memories, and would love to have you on the podcast sometime.
Until next time, remember that you are somebody — and I'll see you around Detroit.
-Jer
