Shake Shack to Detroit

[Zads07]

Opportunity Detroit with the tweet of Shake Shack coming to the First National Building ground floor, Woodward Ave.

https://twitter.com/OpportunityDET/s...40894550093824

EDIT: Detroit News story link

[softailrider]

I'll eat there if I can find a place to park. If the meter maids terrorize me then forget it.

[hybridy]

Big improvement over that crappy coney that was there! Plus it's filling another empty suite adjacent. Yay!

[Mackinaw]

Huge deal. It is not life changing food but it is damn good, and most importantly, it's a place that has a bit of a foodie status-label. That Detroit is affiliated with the brand, which was founded by notable NYC Chef Danny Meyer and only recently began expanding outside NY, is huge for us.

I don't get the graphic-- Roasting Plant isn't going anywhere is it?

[ParisianLesion]

Huge deal. It is not life changing food but it is damn good, and most importantly, it's a place that has a bit of a foodie status-label. That Detroit is affiliated with the brand, which was founded by notable NYC Chef Danny Meyer and only recently began expanding outside NY, is huge for us.

I don't get the graphic-- Roasting Plant isn't going anywhere is it?

Take another look, Roasting Plant is on the other side. It got me at first too... I think it's because of the odd shape of the building :P

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

A few comments on this. First, Mackinaw, Danny Meyer is a businessman who owns restaurants, but he is NOT a chef. He has always been on the hospitality & business end of things, not in a kitchen. He is also a nice guy, although he has the demeanor of a man running for office.

Second, Shake Shack burgers [[and hot dogs) are very good, but the fries are rather disappointing. The namesake shakes are terrific. But here's the real kicker: Shake Shack paints itself, in a roundabout way, as high-end fast food. In reality, though, in terms of both price and speed, it is a decent sit-down restaurant, serving via counter and window, rather than with a waiter. The chicken sandwich was introduced after I moved back here, but supposedly it is wonderful.

This will be a very buzzy opening, and it will bring a lot of press [[some of it unintentionally very condescending to us Detroiters*), and a lot of foot traffic. It will be good for downtown Detroit.

*There is nothing a New York liberal enjoys more than being publicly seen helping the downtrodden [[especially if they can involve a trendy brand, such as Shake Shack), which will be the angle of the foodie press stories about this opening.

[scooter]

No, its where the old drug store was and the first national deli was, so, right across the lobby from roasting plant

[swingline]

Huge deal. It is not life changing food but it is damn good, and most importantly, it's a place that has a bit of a foodie status-label. That Detroit is affiliated with the brand, which was founded by notable NYC Chef Danny Meyer and only recently began expanding outside NY, is huge for us.

I don't get the graphic-- Roasting Plant isn't going anywhere is it?

Agree. This is a very good tenant score for Bedrock. Shake Shack has excellent fast casual affordable food. It is an edgy, trendy company that often finds the cool or "it" spaces to locate. Another small but steady sign of improving economic health for Detroit's core. Jobs - albeit relatively unskilled - and taxes generated. It's good.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

So is it basically another "Johnny Rockets" ? Are they still open downtown?

[dtowncitylover]

So is it basically another "Johnny Rockets" ? Are they still open downtown?

They've been gone a good 5 years.

And no, it's nothing like Johnny Rockets.

[Detroitdave]

So is it basically another "Johnny Rockets" ? Are they still open downtown?

You REALLY need to get out more.

[Detroitdave]

A few comments on this. First, Mackinaw, Danny Meyer is a businessman who owns restaurants, but he is NOT a chef. He has always been on the hospitality & business end of things, not in a kitchen. He is also a nice guy, although he has the demeanor of a man running for office.

Second, Shake Shack burgers [[and hot dogs) are very good, but the fries are rather disappointing. The namesake shakes are terrific. But here's the real kicker: Shake Shack paints itself, in a roundabout way, as high-end fast food. In reality, though, in terms of both price and speed, it is a decent sit-down restaurant, serving via counter and window, rather than with a waiter. The chicken sandwich was introduced after I moved back here, but supposedly it is wonderful.

This will be a very buzzy opening, and it will bring a lot of press [[some of it unintentionally very condescending to us Detroiters*), and a lot of foot traffic. It will be good for downtown Detroit.

*There is nothing a New York liberal enjoys more than being publicly seen helping the downtrodden [[especially if they can involve a trendy brand, such as Shake Shack), which will be the angle of the foodie press stories about this opening.

Check out my thread,

Further Proof That Detroit Is New York City's Newest Borough

[Mackinaw]

Good catch on me, Mikey. Meyer's a well regarded restaurateur and I just conflated him w chef.

[softailrider]

During lunch during the week they should do great - captive audience with the people working down there. Not too sure about dinner time, the weekends or when the weather is cold.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

During lunch during the week they should do great - captive audience with the people working down there. Not too sure about dinner time, the weekends or when the weather is cold.

Well, downtown now has foot traffic besides at lunch; I think they will do great business. But I would hardly call downtown workers a "captive audience" in terms of food options at lunch. There are a lot now, with many more on the way.

Shake Shack locations in NYC [[I know they are in many cities now, but I've only been in New York ones) range from outdoor take out [[the original location in Madison Square Park), to sit-down cafeteria-style restaurants, to food-courty versions [[CitiField, home of the Mets; also NYC area airports).

Danny Meyer is renowned for his hospitality & positive attitude at work. He did spin off Shake Shack from his company in a [[very successful) IPO; I don't know how much he still owns. Service is consistently good, though. They take it very seriously and will not suffer poor attitudes among staff.

The one spectacular food company that I wish would open a real Detroit outpost [[or several) is Ann Arbor's own Zingerman's. The food there is easily better than any deli I ever ate in while living in New York [[and I ate in MANY; thus my waistline). Service is exceptional. Prices, of course, match the quality of food and service. I think they could open a full on restaurant downtown somewhere, with an attached retail store. I also think Detroit would embrace Zingerman's soup-and-sandwich only little stores or kiosks just about anywhere there are people.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

You REALLY need to get out more.

I get out, just haven't been down Woodward in a while.

[EastsideAl]

I think it's a nice grab and upgrade for that space, and I think it will do really well there for a while. But I also think that folks around here may find their prices a bit high for a basic burger-fries-drink meal.

I still lived in NYC back when the original Shake Shack opened in Madison Square Park. My basic take on it was that it was quite good, but really just a slightly upscale version of a Dairy Queen Brazier [[or, better, somewhere like Culver's) in the end, with food that was also only somewhat better.

I always felt that what Danny Meyer had really conceived was a sort of Manhattan-filtered simulacrum of the burger and shake joints of his St. Louis childhood. Something perhaps unfamiliar to New Yorkers [[thus the extreme hype, and lines), but not all that unusual to folks like me from a lot of the rest of the country.

But, there's really no arguing with the concept's success. And after lining them up out the door at multiple locations in New York, it sure has become something of a national fast food phenomena over the past couple of years. Although it remains to be seen what kind of long-term "legs" fancy-ish burger stands will have outside of NYC, particularly as quality is inevitably compromised to meet the demands of expansion.

[mikeg19]

So is this like the East Coast version of In and Out burger? I've not been to either of them.

[Junjie]

I still lived in NYC back when the original Shake Shack opened in Madison Square Park. My basic take on it was that it was quite good, but really just a slightly upscale version of a Dairy Queen Brazier [[or, better, somewhere like Culver's) in the end, with food that was also only somewhat better.

Went to one in Philly a couple weeks ago and would say your "upscale Culver's" is a pretty apt description [[note that I like Culver's, that's not an insult). I'm sure it will do fine downtown.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

As I'm sure you'd agree, EastsideAl, every season brings a foodie trend to NYC. The trend takes on a life of it's own. Cronuts, gastropubs, small plates, ramps, Momofuku, retro cocktails, etc., all enjoyed their moment in the food hype. At one point, there was a live webcam of the line for the original Shake Shack! These food trends dominate the online food media, and appeal to affluent young people who eat out all the time. Some of these people literally eat out for every single meal. Most people in NY actually are blissfully unaware of these trends. But there is a hip clique of self-described foodies who thrive on the trends, and being able to think of [[and describe) themselves as super sophisticated eaters and social trendsetters. The thinking is that Detroit's version of those people are now the people that live & work downtown, so places like Shake Shack are perfect for them. I think they're right.

[iheartthed]

So is this like the East Coast version of In and Out burger? I've not been to either of them.

No, it's more like a "high end" fast food restaurant. Like a more polished version of Five Guys.

[stasu1213]

Opportunity Detroit with the tweet of Shake Shack coming to the First National Building ground floor, Woodward Ave.

https://twitter.com/OpportunityDET/s...40894550093824

EDIT: Detroit News story link

My question is why does it take a year to open it. It appears that work is being done in the space now. Is this an example of Detroit's red tape fashion while other cities within or without the state would open within the year of its announcement?

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Went to one in Philly a couple weeks ago and would say your "upscale Culver's" is a pretty apt description [[note that I like Culver's, that's not an insult). I'm sure it will do fine downtown.

Went to Culvers for the first time a couple of months ago, and their burgers and shakes are good. Too bad they are all located far off the beaten path, except for the one in Livonia.

[dtowncitylover]

Went to Culvers for the first time a couple of months ago, and their burgers and shakes are good. Too bad they are all located far off the beaten path, except for the one in Livonia.

I'm not sure where you live but there's one off of 75 in Madison Heights. In front of the Home Depot. Not exactly in the middle of nowhere.

[softailrider]

I would bet that sooner rather then later they'll close late afternoon. I cant see them staying open for dinner 7 days a week at that particular location.