Gilbert To Announce 4 New Downtown Restaurants Wednesday

**mikeg19** · June-02-14, 02:43 PM

Any bets on the Cheesecake Factory?
http://www.freep.com/article/2014060...rants-downtown

**SpartanDawg** · June-02-14, 02:56 PM

Four different buildings too... does he own the Oslo building? I know whiskey disco is open downstairs but the street level restaurant is supposed to open soon..

Also a while back they said Baker's Keyboard Lounge was supposed to open a spot downtown in one of Gilberts building, but haven't heard anything on that front in about 6 months.. so hoping that's one of them??

**stinkytofu** · June-02-14, 03:07 PM

A couple possibilities...perhaps Guns & Butter in the building next to the Z Building. There is also a new place opening in the Dime where Rio Wraps was...but I think that was already announced?

**jj84** · June-02-14, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

http://www.freep.com/article/2014060...rants-downtown

Any bets on the Cheesecake Factory?

I'll bet that it isn't one of them, no downtown site meets their requirements of what they want in a site. Unless Gilbert is going the Whole Foods route [[we build it for you, you run it, and we guarantee your losses for 5 years but you can keep any profit) I don't see it happening. Downtown isn’t a Cheesecake Factory location, not enough parking, not enough daily rotation of foot traffic and not its business plan location.

**SDCC** · June-02-14, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

http://www.freep.com/article/2014060...rants-downtown

Any bets on the Cheesecake Factory?

It certainly would be nice for them to open a restaurant where it all began

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · June-02-14, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by jj84

I'll bet that it isn't one of them, no downtown site meets their requirements of what they want in a site. Unless Gilbert is going the Whole Foods route [[we build it for you, you run it, and we guarantee your losses for 5 years but you can keep any profit) I don't see it happening. Downtown isn’t a Cheesecake Factory location, not enough parking, not enough daily rotation of foot traffic and not its business plan location.

I agree. Cheesecake Factories are primarily in upscale suburban shopping areas [[seas of parking) or very, very busy downtown areas. They make money in economies of scale. I have never understood the obsession with CF here on this board. It's okay, and better than average chain food, but nothing to write home about. And it's overpriced for what it is. I wouldn't object to Detroit's getting one, but I sure don't spend my time thinking about it.

**rbdetsport** · June-02-14, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by jj84

I'll bet that it isn't one of them, no downtown site meets their requirements of what they want in a site. Unless Gilbert is going the Whole Foods route [[we build it for you, you run it, and we guarantee your losses for 5 years but you can keep any profit) I don't see it happening. Downtown isn’t a Cheesecake Factory location, not enough parking, not enough daily rotation of foot traffic and not its business plan location.

The Cheesecake Factory question was a joke.. That has been mocked time and time again on this forum since at least 2005..

**DetroitPlanner** · June-02-14, 03:57 PM

I had the opportunity to eat at one by my Sister's house. You get a lot of food, the price is high, and the food was not all that appetizing. I have no desire to go to another.

Yeah it was located in a semi-upscale mall; like 12 Oaks only in the other OC [[Orange County).

**stasu1213** · June-02-14, 04:46 PM

There is enough foot traffic for The Cheesecake Factory especially in Greektown and on Broadway. It doesn't have to have parking in an bustling urban setting. Only us car dependent bloggers think that a business need plenty of parking to succeed. I am excited about the restaurants and other things that Gilbert is bringing or had brought to the downtown area. He did clean up a lot of musty diliapidated vacant buildings. Illitch, as much as he is responsible for The Fox, Comerica Park, and the new Red Wings stadium, had used our money for his venue and is still sitting on the United Artist building without any known further progress on it's development.

**313WX** · June-02-14, 05:11 PM

I'm betting these will be fast food restaurants [[something that downtown sorely lacks).

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · June-02-14, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

and is still sitting on the United Artist building without any known further progress on it's development.

I doubt Mike Ilitch sits around giggling about his evil ability to keep the UA vacant. Instead, he is a businessman who bought a property when it was worthless and has been looking for an adapted reuse ever since. When a renovation into something else [[hopefully preserving the auditorium in some way) makes financial sense, I have a suspicion it will be renovated. The strikes against a rapid redevelopment are: it is a big building, it needs a ton of work, it has historical and architectural significance, and it is not along the Woodward spine that is redeveloping first. The pluses are: it is a big building, it needs a ton of work, it has historical and architectural significance, and it is not along the Woodward spine that is redeveloping first. It'll get done. The site is more valuable every day as downtown's growth continues, and spreads outward from the Woodward corridor. At some point the value will justify the millions it will take to turn into, I suspect, luxury condominiums or apartments.

**Hypestyles** · June-02-14, 09:28 PM

I want a restaurant you don't have to wait 90 minutes in line. Growl.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · June-02-14, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

I want a restaurant you don't have to wait 90 minutes in line. Growl.

The problem isn't the wait; it's that the product wasn't worth the wait.

**MSUguy** · June-02-14, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by MikeyinBrooklyn

I doubt Mike Ilitch sits around giggling about his evil ability to keep the UA vacant. Instead, he is a businessman who bought a property when it was worthless and has been looking for an adapted reuse ever since. When a renovation into something else [[hopefully preserving the auditorium in some way) makes financial sense, I have a suspicion it will be renovated. The strikes against a rapid redevelopment are: it is a big building, it needs a ton of work, it has historical and architectural significance, and it is not along the Woodward spine that is redeveloping first. The pluses are: it is a big building, it needs a ton of work, it has historical and architectural significance, and it is not along the Woodward spine that is redeveloping first. It'll get done. The site is more valuable every day as downtown's growth continues, and spreads outward from the Woodward corridor. At some point the value will justify the millions it will take to turn into, I suspect, luxury condominiums or apartments.

The UA's size does pose some challenges. That doesn't explain why he hasn't renovated a single of the much smaller properties he owns around Grand Circus Park. In the last decade other less well off owners have renovated their properties in that area. Mike couldn't pull off one? The fact is he's shown no inclination to fix up his vacant properties. He only put up that "Olympia Development" dog and pony show after a series of negative news articles around 2007 about the amount of vacant properties he owned. He threw up some 'development coming soon' signs and let his building continue to rot. Do I think he's giggling? No, I think he didn't give a damn about the effect of his slumlording while the location of his taxpayer funded gift was being sorted out. He's not evil, he's just a shitty neighbor.

**DetroiterOnTheWestCoast** · June-03-14, 03:14 AM

I don't understand 80 something year old billionaires who are more concerned about making another buck than they are about leaving a positive legacy to the community.

**stasu1213** · June-03-14, 05:32 AM

What sadden me is that Gilbert and other developers/entrepreneurs have a set time to open their businesses but waiting on the building and safety inspectors to improve each process along the way especially the final inspection prolongs the opening of these businesses 6 months or sometimes a years past the target opening date. Detroit need to be more small business friendly and hire more uncorrupt building and safety inspectors

**scooter** · June-03-14, 07:17 AM

Hope one is fast food when i started workind downtown back in 1988, there was 2 Mcdonalds on Griswold, a Wendy's and a Taco Bell, there all gone now, all thats opening down here is deli's
Jimmy Johns [[2) AND SUBWAYS[[3)

**DetroitPlanner** · June-03-14, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

I want a restaurant you don't have to wait 90 minutes in line. Growl.

Lafayette Coney Island!

**DetroitPlanner** · June-03-14, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by scooter

Hope one is fast food when i started workind downtown back in 1988, there was 2 Mcdonalds on Griswold, a Wendy's and a Taco Bell, there all gone now, all thats opening down here is deli's
Jimmy Johns [[2) AND SUBWAYS[[3)

You forgot about the Hardees

Then again maybe you didn't!

**emu steve** · June-03-14, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

I don't understand 80 something year old billionaires who are more concerned about making another buck than they are about leaving a positive legacy to the community.

I have a foot in both seeing [[Downtown) Detroit develop AND the Detroit sports I follow [[e.g., Tigers, Lions, etc.) thrive.

Ilitch is mostly a sports [[or sports and entertainment) guy. I wouldn't want him building 500K luxury condos in downtown or rehabbing 100 year old building near Wayne State. He does mostly what he knows.

He does have a good reputation among sports fans for his work with the Tigers and Wings. He did speed a ton of money on that new huge scoreboard in Comerica a few years ago.

And quite frankly there are more Detroiters [[and folks in Oakland County

) more concerned that Cabrera got locked up to a multi-year contract than some surface parking lots behind the Fox.

**scooter** · June-03-14, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

You forgot about the Hardees

Then again maybe you didn't!

dont remember th hardees, refresh my memory, i do rememeber the burger king inside the old greyhound station

**DetroitPlanner** · June-03-14, 12:53 PM

The Hardees was on Griswold there is a fitness place there now. Next to what was Olde Stockbrokers.

I forgot about that Burger King too. I ate there when I took a bus somewhere a long time ago!

**scooter** · June-03-14, 01:31 PM

Ok Thanks Deroit Planner I remember now, I know fast food isnot good for u but it would be something different for lunch, Mcdees wnted to come in the FNB building before Dan Gilbert bought the building but the owners then did not want an outside entrance, what a joke they put an outside door for the wine bar the building had then

**scooter** · June-03-14, 02:04 PM

Its been leaked on detroiteatery. com list 3 out of four restaurants, these are just more bars
here they are Guns and Butter, Bakers Keyboard Lounge, and Cornerstone Barrel House
not want we really need, the fourt wasnt listed

**scooter** · June-03-14, 02:08 PM

The fourthone is Wright & Company: 1500 Woodward Ave. [[Downtown). With dream team Marc Djozlija [[formerly executive chef for the MGM Grand's Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group) and Dave Kwiatkowski, the owner of Corktown's Sugar House, at the helm, the restaurant's progress has been eagerly followed for the past few months. The renovations are still underway, but they have a kitchen and are hiring, and have declared they're opening in June.
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