Happy Friday! Almost made it to the weekend. Lot to cover before we get there, so let’s get into it.
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📰 What to know…
» Karl’s has closed indefinitely. I received a tip from a podcast listener who tried to dine last night and followed up on it this morning. I could not reach by phone the restaurant line, but an employee for the Siren Hotel confirmed that as of a couple days ago that Karl’s has closed indefinitely and there are no plans going forward for the restaurant to reopen in that location. They did not know if they would go to another space.
There are no announcements on Karl’s social media as of this writing. The retro-style restaurant opened in the back half of 2019, which turned out to be very tough timing.
The project has been the culinary home to to Chef Kate Williams, who previously ran Lady of the House in Corktown. She’s been recognized as a James Beard Award semifinalist twice and considered by many diners as one of Detroit’s top talents in the field.
I’ll leave it there as I don’t have more details. This one makes our whole team a bit sad who enjoyed this spot where diner vibes met a bit of high end taste. We had just recommended it a couple weeks ago on our podcast. I’ll keep you updated as I learn more.
» Bedrock has purchased the old Parke-Davis research lab on Detroit’s eastern riverfront. Most recently Robert’s Riverwalk Hotel, the property is located at 1000 River Place. This adds to a growing portfolio of riverfront properties they own.
This was the first industrial laboratory devoted exclusively to pharmacological research. [MiPlace]
Built in 1902, there’s 5,500 square feet of banquet and event space, 108 hotel rooms, 126 parking spaces and nearly 300 feet of riverfront-facing frontage a little over a mile from downtown Detroit.
Bedrock shared in press materials that there will be more info coming in 2023. It’s been on the market for years, and the purchase price wasn’t disclosed.
» Nuts, spices and candy store Rocky’s is re-opening this Saturday, December 3. The store in Eastern Market closed during this summer because of a flood from a broken sump pump. [Detroit Metro Times]
» Red Hook is moving into the old Great Lakes Coffee location at Woodward and Alexandrine in Midtown. Red Hook has been on an expansion spree recently, and will now go to four locations. They’ll be open for Noel Night, and then on a more permanent basis early next year. [Instagram]
» Mexican Village in Southwest Detroit is closed until further notice. A small fire burned the inside of the kitchen on Monday, Nov. 28. One of Detroit’s oldest Mexican restaurants, the location in Utica is still open. [Eater Detroit] [Mexican Village]
» Employees at Wayne State University’s Welcome Center protested this week amid allegations of rat problems. Unionized employees say that it’s taken too long for the university to address the problem; the school says there’s been no evidence of rat activity since mid-November. [The South End]
» One of the most impactful ways to make change in your community is through local advocacy. But with tons of departments, boards and meetings, how do you know where to make your voice heard? Soapbox creator Daniel Arking discussed with us about the newsletter service and how he tries to connect people with information to have a say in the City of Detroit’s decisions. [Soapbox Detroit]
» The abandoned four-story apartment building overlooking Nardin Park near I-94 in Detroit will begin demolition Tuesday, Dec. 6. A $990,368 contract was awarded for the demolition of the 5260 W. Chicago building. [Fox 2 Detroit]
» Emagine will move its headquarters to Walsh College Campus in Troy in January. [Crain's Detroit]
» Longtime Ferndale coffee shop Java Hutt will be opening a second location in Hazel Park at John R. and Garfield. The timeline hasn’t been shared. [Java Hutt Facebook]
So many memories meeting friends up at Java Hutt. The original Ferndale place has big 90s vibes my elder (geriatric?) millennial self is here for it.
» Reminder that Noel Night is Saturday night. A great way to check out Detroit’s Midtown. Here’s our podcast preview and their website with a map and schedule. [Noel Night]
» How do we grow and retain talent in Michigan? Glenn Stevens, executive director of MichAuto, joined us on the podcast to discuss the 2022 MichAuto summit. The event is on December 8. [MichAuto]
By the way, I’m moderating a talk at this one.
⚽️ Who’s in and out at Detroit City FC…
The following players have been officially announced to have signed or are not re-signing with the club:
Returning:
- Stephen Carroll (D) — Two year contract, guaranteed
- Maxi Rodriguez (M) — Two years, guaranteed
- Connor Rutz (M/F) — Two years guaranteed plus a club option for a third season
Out the door:
- Billy Forbes (F); Ryan Shellow (GK); Brad Dunwell (M); Francis Atuahene (F); Karl Ouimette (D); Joe Rice (GK); Patricio “Pato” Botello Faz (F); Antoine Hoppenot (F); Amadou “Macky” Diop (F)
We’ll talk about this more as the dust settles next week on the podcast with Fletcher Sharpe. [Detroit City FC]
Thanks so much for reading, and thanks to the team behind the scenes that makes our podcast and newsletter. Special thanks to Luciano Marcon for helping me get all this organized for a Friday edition.
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Big thanks to Kayleigh, Wren and Jay for pitching in recently.
Until next time — remember that you are somebody, and we’ll see you around Detroit.
-Jer
