Bert's Heading To the auction block!

**Zacha341** · July-03-15, 05:25 AM

Who recalls when he was down on Jefferson next to the Pontchetrain?

Article headline:

The battle to save Bert's: Beloved Detroit jazz bar headed to auction

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/29...ded-to-auction

DetroitBoy · July-03-15, 05:53 AM

Hopefully he can raise enough money to cover whatever mess his son created. The story wasn't too detailed about what occurred with the son. Maybe Mildred Gaddis should have thought about that before she starting running down new people coming into Detroit starting businesses with the same sweat and hard work which Bert did. Seems to me like the son's mismanagement and how Bert's business is now at risk is unrelated to people coming to Detroit and starting their own businesses.

**Honky Tonk** · July-03-15, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Who recalls when he was down on Jefferson next to the Pontchetrain?

Article headline:

The battle to save Bert's: Beloved Detroit jazz bar headed to auction

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/29...ded-to-auction

I remember, and have been to, the original Bert's, with the two huge coach lanterns out front. Yet another travesty. Yet another iconic Detroit landmark shut down by corporate greed and the greenies of Detroit. To quote Django "fuck midtown".

DetroitBoy · July-03-15, 06:23 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I remember, and have been to, the original Bert's, with the two huge coach lanterns out front. Yet another travesty . Yet another iconic Detroit landmark shut down by corporate greed and the greenies of Detroit. To quote Django "fuck midtown".

The only travesty here is that his son apparently stole from the family business. Has nothing to do with midtown and other people working hard to be successful in the city.

**Honky Tonk** · July-03-15, 06:46 AM

B\S, Ever, since Eastern Mark-Up became privatized, Bert's has been squeezed by the City. Street license weren't renewed, violations keep getting piled on, making it harder to keep his doors open. Yeah, his son screwed up but corporate vultures were already circling. He too didn't fit in to the" New Detroit" curriculum. Maybe he'll be replaced by a cookie- cutter "Jazzcat Social Bowl".

**Chicago48** · July-03-15, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

B\S, Ever, since Eastern Mark-Up became privatized, Bert's has been squeezed by the City. Street license weren't renewed, violations keep getting piled on, making it harder to keep his doors open. Yeah, his son screwed up but corporate vultures were already circling. He too didn't fit in to the" New Detroit" curriculum. Maybe he'll be replaced by a cookie- cutter "Jazzcat Social Bowl".

I was at his establishment [[by the son) a few years back when visiting the city and I could see as a customer it was mismanaged. We had to run the waitress down to pay our bill, but we could have easily have gotten up and left and she / they wouldn't know.
We gave her a tip and she didn't know what it was? LOL, that shows the type of people working at his place.
I imagine there was a lot of theft by his employees too.

**Zacha341** · July-03-15, 08:08 AM

Hah! Eh, I'm not an old man and I live in the D. And I've been going to Bert's when I can and getting his great BBQ treats as recent as last week. I hope he makes it, they are open during the week for eat in or carry out. It just may be too late for him to turn it around. Sad.

Originally Posted by YounginDetroit

So instead of doing something about it you just sit by your computer's and bitch from some other state. I guess I don't understand yr premise, greater downtown is doing great and that's a bad thing? You abandoned Detroit and your offended it isn't the same? Bert's son ran the company in the ground and it's fault? .....pathetic

**ddaydetroit** · July-03-15, 08:09 AM

I follow some of the foodie websites including YELP they have been getting a lot of awful reviews for a while now go to http://www.yelp.com/biz/berts-marketplace-detroit-2 and sort the reviews by date and go to the bottom of the reviews and click on 16 other reviews that are not currently recommended
those are ones that have been removed maybe Berts did it self in by bad service and sub par food

**Zacha341** · July-03-15, 08:14 AM

^^^ Yeah, I found the service a bit off. The cashier during the week and I talked and I could tell moral was a bit low. She encourage me to return. I left a tip.

It's a tough business, very! And he's doing a bar, club and restaurant and the space sq. footage is vast.

If Burt's is to make it he'll have to do a complete turn about. He probably has some folks he could let go if that is impacting service. But the food was great!

My complaint is the lack of security of that parking lot for his night events! I know people who had their cars stolen and the late Marcus Belgrave had his trumpet stolen from his trunk during an event at Burt's.

Thankfully he got his horn back. Spend some money on security or some will not attend late night functions.

**Zacha341** · July-03-15, 08:17 AM

Yeah, I noticed stuff like that at Bert's but not just there. I had to all but bang on the employee/ kitchen door to get my check at HopCat in Midtown for an event on their roof.

Amazing the lack of enthusiasm of some wait staff!! Some folks would just eat and walk; it's imperative to manage the checks as well as service and quality.

Internal food shrink is legend if you are not managing a restaurant well. Out the back door goes your inventory cooked or not.

Originally Posted by Chicago48

I was at his establishment [[by the son) a few years back when visiting the city and I could see as a customer it was mismanaged. We had to run the waitress down to pay our bill, but we could have easily have gotten up and left and she / they wouldn't know.
We gave her a tip and she didn't know what it was? LOL, that shows the type of people working at his place.
I imagine there was a lot of theft by his employees too.

**Zacha341** · July-03-15, 08:31 AM

Yikes, those reviews have got to sting. In the world of social media, and finger-tip review access you have to watch your standards and how you treat people. And you cannot ignore complaint.

Originally Posted by ddaydetroit

I follow some of the foodie websites including YELP they have been getting a lot of awful reviews for a while now go to http://www.yelp.com/biz/berts-marketplace-detroit-2 and sort the reviews by date and go to the bottom of the reviews and click on 16 other reviews that are not currently recommended
those are ones that have been removed maybe Berts did it self in by bad service and sub par food

**Gannon** · July-03-15, 08:31 AM

There is a backstory here that includes Detroit's favorite deep pockets, and a clash of empires.

The location on Broadway was an item of dispute between Bert's son and Dan Gilbert. The way I heard the story, when the initial work for the Z-building was done...Gilbert's goons removed/disconnected the utilities from the Bert's on Broadway location. There was considerable pressure to sell the location to Bedrock or a derivative, including what seemed to be the illegal modification of a mortgage...which was solved by a briefcase of cash to finally chase off the evildoers.

So, I wouldn't go around saying Jai Lee stole from his father...but rather that cash was moved around their empire to solve a few crises. Around the same time, there was the move to GPP with Rockefellers, which must've taken some capital. I do not know any specifics, but am merely speculating to add to the dialog here. Nobody can doubt that he is able to get motivated employees able to deliver decent service there, hell every time I've been there, Jai Lee is hustling his butt off.

But I would not doubt that the opposition on Broadway to the Bedrock onslaught has triggered our local megalomaniac's backlash. He just might take pleasure in winning this auction, too...gain a foothold in another neighborhood, albeit through yet another scheme to take advantage of those down on their luck. He seems to be really, really good at that.

When I walked by Sunday morning, Bert was there...sweeping up his shop...even though the power was off for the whole area. He remains one of the hardest working people in Eastern Market, and does not deserve this bullshit.

**Honky Tonk** · July-03-15, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

^^^ Yeah, I found the service a bit off. The cashier during the week and I talked and I could tell moral was a bit low. She encourage me to return. I left a tip.

It's a tough business, very! And he's doing a bar, club and restaurant and the space sq. footage is vast.

If Burt's is to make it he'll have to do a complete turn about. He probably has some folks he could let go if that is impacting service. But the food was great!

My complaint is the lack of security of that parking lot for his night events! I know people who had their cars stolen and the late Marcus Belgrave had his trumpet stolen from his trunk during an event at Burt's.

Thankfully he got his horn back. Spend some money on security or some will not attend late night functions.

Honestly Zach341, Friends came in from Bloomfield for Friday Night Live! @ the DIA. When we came out @ 9:45, the wheels were gone off of their car. Woodard Ave., right in front of the DIA. What's up with that?

**313WX** · July-03-15, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Yeah, I noticed stuff like that at Bert's but not just there. I had to all but bang on the employee/ kitchen door to get my check at HopCat in Midtown for an event on their roof.

All of it goes back to poor management.

It can either be one, some or all of the below things:

*The owners are severely understaffing the establishment in order to maintain profitability and thus the waitstaff is stretched way too thin.

*The owners aren't paying their employees well enough to feel as though they should go above & beyond for the customers.

*The owners aren't properly training their employees on what should be good customer service when onboarding them.

*The owners don't have a functional corrective action policy in place for the downright awful employees that are still being paid by them.

DetroitBoy · July-03-15, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

B\S, Ever, since Eastern Mark-Up became privatized, Bert's has been squeezed by the City. Street license weren't renewed, violations keep getting piled on, making it harder to keep his doors open. Yeah, his son screwed up but corporate vultures were already circling. He too didn't fit in to the" New Detroit" curriculum. Maybe he'll be replaced by a cookie- cutter "Jazzcat Social Bowl".

Let's be accurate about your rant. The Eastern Market Corporation is private sector through a public-private partnership with the Eastern Market Corporation who's chief officer is from the City of Detroit Mayor's office and includes members from Focus Hope, food banks and local food businesses. Since this change in 2006, many physical improvements have been made and business at the Market has soared providing MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE. All businesses are required to operate under the laws of the City. No one has singled out Bert's to be run out of business. So get the facts straight and tell Mildred she should as well.

DetroitBoy · July-03-15, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

There is a backstory here that includes Detroit's favorite deep pockets, and a clash of empires.

The location on Broadway was an item of dispute between Bert's son and Dan Gilbert. The way I heard the story, when the initial work for the Z-building was done...Gilbert's goons removed/disconnected the utilities from the Bert's on Broadway location. There was considerable pressure to sell the location to Bedrock or a derivative, including what seemed to be the illegal modification of a mortgage...which was solved by a briefcase of cash to finally chase off the evildoers.

So, I wouldn't go around saying Jai Lee stole from his father...but rather that cash was moved around their empire to solve a few crises. Around the same time, there was the move to GPP with Rockefellers, which must've taken some capital. I do not know any specifics, but am merely speculating to add to the dialog here. Nobody can doubt that he is able to get motivated employees able to deliver decent service there, hell every time I've been there, Jai Lee is hustling his butt off.

But I would not doubt that the opposition on Broadway to the Bedrock onslaught has triggered our local megalomaniac's backlash. He just might take pleasure in winning this auction, too...gain a foothold in another neighborhood, albeit through yet another scheme to take advantage of those down on their luck. He seems to be really, really good at that.

When I walked by Sunday morning, Bert was there...sweeping up his shop...even though the power was off for the whole area. He remains one of the hardest working people in Eastern Market, and does not deserve this bullshit.

I hope Bedrock reads this smear of yours about illegal mortgage modification and bribery.

**313WX** · July-03-15, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

I hope Bedrock reads this smear of yours about illegal mortgage modification and bribery.

If Gilbert/Bedrock is as big/important as many on here make them out to be, why would they give a fuck about what some "loon" [[no offense Gannon) says about them on the internet?

**313WX** · July-03-15, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

The Eastern Market Corporation is private sector through a public-private partnership with the Eastern Market Corporation who's chief officer is from the City of Detroit Mayor's office and includes members from Focus Hope, food banks and local food businesses.

That's what Honky Tonk said in so few words, "privatized."

DetroitBoy · July-03-15, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

That's what Honky Tonk said in so few words, "privatized."

No. He made it sound like some big, greedy corporation has taken over the Market and is targeting businesses [[subtext BLACK owned businesses) to run them out. Then you have Mildred alluding to the same thing in this news clip. This constant tone of oppression is annoying. People should be thankful that there is growth in the city which was written off by just about everyone including many of the people who live in it.

**313WX** · July-03-15, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

No. He made it sound like some big, greedy corporation has taken over the Market and is targeting businesses [[subtext BLACK owned businesses) to run them out. Then you have Mildred alluding to the same thing in this news clip. This constant tone of oppression is annoying. People should be thankful that there is growth in the city which was written off by just about everyone including many of the people who live in it.

k..........

**gvidas** · July-03-15, 10:43 AM

Not all growth is good. Not everyone benefits equally from growth.

But every day businesses close despite being great. I don't think just being old and memorable should liberate anyone from basic economic realities.

On the other hand, citing 'basic economic realities' is a classic way to gloss over the unique challenges that black entrepreneurs face [[scroll down to the bit about the Rutgers/BYU/US study - one concrete example in a sea of challenges.)

Change is hard. Do you change at the same pace and in the same direction as the city changes around you? Do you wait for it to catch up? Or do you run around trying to stay one step ahead of the change?

**Zacha341** · July-03-15, 10:54 AM

Dangy, that's tight. It seems car issues are high midtown thru downtown, consistentl from what I see on crimemapping.com and have hear from people.

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Honestly Zach341, Friends came in from Bloomfield for Friday Night Live! @ the DIA. When we came out @ 9:45, the wheels were gone off of their car. Woodard Ave., right in front of the DIA. What's up with that?

**Zacha341** · July-03-15, 10:56 AM

Excellent points, all... woe to the restaurant/ night club owner with even two of those things going on with their staff!

Originally Posted by 313WX

All of it goes back to poor management.

It can either be one, some or all of the below things:

*The owners are severely understaffing the establishment in order to maintain profitability and thus the waitstaff is stretched way too thin.

*The owners aren't paying their employees well enough to feel as though they should go above & beyond for the customers.

*The owners aren't properly training their employees on what should be good customer service when onboarding them.

*The owners don't have a functional corrective action policy in place for the downright awful employees that are still being paid by them.

DetroitBoy · July-03-15, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by gvidas

Not all growth is good. Not everyone benefits equally from growth.

Gvidas, you're right. Detroit should just do nothing and let crime, selling drugs and murder prosper because those appear to be better forms of growth and more equally distributed. Detroit doesn't need any new investment by individuals who expect to profit from taking the risk of coming here. Everything is fine like it is in the city. Why change anything?

**Honky Tonk** · July-03-15, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitBoy

Gvidas, you're right. Detroit should just do nothing and let crime, selling drugs and murder prosper because those appear to be better forms of growth and more equally distributed. Detroit doesn't need any new investment by individuals who expect to profit from taking the risk of coming here. Everything is fine like it is in the city. Why change anything?

Really? These are the only two solutions you can see? Crime and drug traffic running amuck or booting out old established residents and businesses, and erectring boutique shops and Chuck-E-Bars?