New restaurant opening in Wright Kay building downtown.

**SpartanDawg** · January-27-14, 09:33 AM

Looks like Danny boy is finally announcing all his retail plans opening this summer.

http://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news/...ktails-Dining/

**401don** · January-27-14, 09:51 AM

Why the 2nd floor, just cheaper rent?

**DetroitPlanner** · January-27-14, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

Why the 2nd floor, just cheaper rent?

More clubbier feel. First floor is for the unwashed street peoples.

**downtownguy** · January-27-14, 12:06 PM

Cool. I used to live there.

**Gistok** · January-27-14, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

Cool. I used to live there.

I remember attending attending a soirée for the fight to save Hudson's downtown back in 1998... afterwards I went with a group [[including Shawn Santo) to a loft in this building.... was that your place??

**downtownguy** · January-27-14, 01:54 PM

If you were on the second floor where this restaurant is apparently going to locate, then that was the place. I lived there 1988-89, and the guys that moved in afterward were architects. They did, from what I heard, a really nice makeover of the space. It was pretty raw when I lived there. All floors above the retail level [[2-6) were occupied then by a pretty diverse and eclectic mix of folks.

Our floor was where Wright Kay sold the fine china and stuff. There were 3 big rooms, with cabinets and built-in showcases around the perimeter that were built to withstand World War 3 -- they were solid! I know because I tried to remove a couple to reveal the the windows with the cool etched Wright Kay logo.

It was a great space, but overwhelming too. Each floor was about 3,600 square feet. So much needed to be done, and I just didn't have the time for it.

**Detroit Stylin** · January-28-14, 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by downtownguy

If you were on the second floor where this restaurant is apparently going to locate, then that was the place. I lived there 1988-89, and the guys that moved in afterward were architects. They did, from what I heard, a really nice makeover of the space. It was pretty raw when I lived there. All floors above the retail level [[2-6) were occupied then by a pretty diverse and eclectic mix of folks.

Our floor was where Wright Kay sold the fine china and stuff. There were 3 big rooms, with cabinets and built-in showcases around the perimeter that were built to withstand World War 3 -- they were solid! I know because I tried to remove a couple to reveal the the windows with the cool etched Wright Kay logo.

It was a great space, but overwhelming too. Each floor was about 3,600 square feet. So much needed to be done, and I just didn't have the time for it.

What building is the WK bldg?

**royce** · January-29-14, 04:46 AM

Any restaurant that uses the first floor is going to have to use the first floor of the building next door. There simply isn't any room for a kitchen and storage now that the back of the first floor has be shortened to make room for elevator access for the upper floors. I have always envisioned the first floor, along with the mezzanine, as a cool jazz club.

**Gistok** · January-29-14, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

What building is the WK bldg?

http://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news/...ktails-Dining/

**DetroitPlanner** · January-29-14, 10:37 AM

If they were smart they would turn this into a House of Blues.........

**Eber Brock Ward** · January-29-14, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

If they were smart they would turn this into a House of Blues.........

Combo'd with a Cheesecake Factory, kind of like a Pizza Hut/Taco Bell.

**Gistok** · January-29-14, 11:13 AM

.... and they said Vaudeville was dead....

**DetroitPlanner** · January-29-14, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Eber Brock Ward

Combo'd with a Cheesecake Factory, kind of like a Pizza Hut/Taco Bell.

Hey that is an idea in itself.. Why not a Pizza Hut/Taco Bell? I am sure Mike up the street won't mind his employees bringing Pizza hut boxes back to the HQ.

**downtownguy** · January-29-14, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Detroit Stylin

What building is the WK bldg?

Northeast corner of Woodward and John R.

**downtownguy** · January-29-14, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by royce

Any restaurant that uses the first floor is going to have to use the first floor of the building next door. There simply isn't any room for a kitchen and storage now that the back of the first floor has be shortened to make room for elevator access for the upper floors. I have always envisioned the first floor, along with the mezzanine, as a cool jazz club.

When I lived there we used the elevator in the back which faced John R. Our address was One John R while the Woodward side entrance into the retail space was 1500 Woodward. There was another elevator, which we rarely used that was located closer to the Woodward entrance.

As for space on the ground floor, unless they made some significant changes since I lived there, the rear elevator is isolated from the rest of the floor and there shouldn't be a need to shorten the floor space. However, according to the article, this restaurant is going on the second floor, anyway.

**stasu1213** · January-30-14, 09:10 AM

I think that the Cheesecake Factory should occupy the spot where the former Cheesecake Bistro in greektown was.

**motz** · January-30-14, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I think that the Cheesecake Factory should occupy the spot where the former Cheesecake Bistro in greektown was.

Why not have the Cheesecake Bistro on the first floor with a Cheesecake Factory on the 2nd and 3rd floor?

**Hypestyles** · January-30-14, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

I think that the Cheesecake Factory should occupy the spot where the former Cheesecake Bistro in greektown was.

aren't those places usually huge? what's the square footage for the former Bistro spot?

**Eber Brock Ward** · January-30-14, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by motz

Why not have the Cheesecake Bistro on the first floor with a Cheesecake Factory on the 2nd and 3rd floor?

The fourth floor could be a new bakery/cheesemonger concept called "Cheese and Cake."

**motz** · January-30-14, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Eber Brock Ward

The fourth floor could be a new bakery/cheesemonger concept called "Cheese and Cake."

Fifth floor could be a concept named "Cake; Cheese" which would be the dessert spot for the other 3 restaurants. Gourmet, all natural, free range, vegan, organic cheeses and cakes. The cakes just get made wherever they feel comfortable getting made.

**ptero** · January-30-14, 12:08 PM

I was involved in the rehab to setup Haberman Fabrics to use it for awhile. ummm, early/mid '80's? We worked on mainly the first and second floor for the opening store. On the top floor, 5th?, we redid the corner of the building. We framed in and installed the doors in the corner up there. Yeah, all that was left on 3,4,5 was the big heavy counters and display cabinets.