Saucy Brew Works abruptly shutters Detroit taproom

**Danny** · June-02-23, 04:57 PM

After just 2 years after its opening Saucy Brew Works is closing its doors. There goes another hip cool restaurant with a waste of money. That's business.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/...ter-two-years/

**DetroitSoldier** · June-02-23, 06:10 PM

The pizza and beer were both average. I wanted it to work in that location but the quality was not there.

**Zacha341** · June-03-23, 03:35 PM

How was the coffee? So many of these kinds of places are hyped - perceiving that they have a 'captive' audience from the sports arenas nearby.

That wears thin with high prices and average cafeteria-level food....

**DetroitSoldier** · June-04-23, 07:15 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

How was the coffee? So many of these kinds of places are hyped - perceiving that they have a 'captive' audience from the sports arenas nearby.

That wears thin with high prices and average cafeteria-level food....

I never tried the coffee. I like the idea of a place that transitions from coffee to booze. But in that particular location it was not going to be driven by the arenas. It would have been the residential base that supports it.

**Zacha341** · June-04-23, 07:18 AM

Oh! I only said that as a few of the yelp reviews mentioned 'after-game' visits.

**masterblaster** · June-05-23, 07:59 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitSoldier

I never tried the coffee. I like the idea of a place that transitions from coffee to booze. But in that particular location it was not going to be driven by the arenas. It would have been the residential base that supports it.

This is really disheartening. I was just there for coffee the Sunday before Memorial Day.

I went there once or twice a week. Even though I didn't live in Brush Park, I loved the concept. It didn't seem like the Brush Park neighborhood supported. It would be empty during prime dinner hours. It baffled me, because this place was literally one block from the arena. They had great game day deals for all Detroit pro sports PLUS Wayne State sports.

They had trivia, bingo, good happy hour deals, decently priced coffee. It really depresses me. The Fourteen East coffee shop, right on the edge of Brush Park and next to the LCA is also experiencing slow sales and the owner is baffled and saddened by the lack of business. She loved her original location at the Park Shelton building, but moved because her rent was being DOUBLED.

**K-slice** · June-05-23, 11:30 AM

The two times I went there it definitely seemed like a place that catered to a very specific set, and that set wasn't the kind who frequent sporting events. The crowd was very young and very, strange, I guess I'd say...

I don't think they ever really found their niche in the market. That, coupled with stiff competition and a relatively small local residential base killed them off.

**stasu1213** · June-05-23, 11:49 AM

The storefronts in that area along John R are still empty. The area is suffering the same fate as Orleans Landing is suffering from. That is the lack of retail or restaurants to fill in those empty storefronts. Also, Saucy coffee shop had good coffee but they lacked having a decent amount of electrical outlets where customers could plug their computers, iPhone or tablets too. Saucer also had problems keeping good baristas. Fourteen East Coffee is just in a bad location. Game and concert goers don't frequent coffee shops before and after events. She need to be in a walkable strip such as 9 mile in Ferndale, Old Woodward in Birmingham, Ketchaval in Grosse Pointe, or maybe somewhere in West Village on Detroit's Eastside

**kuuma** · June-05-23, 12:34 PM

i wonder how "bodega" is doing, one of the few other active storefronts in city modern. a bodega it most certainly is not, but their cold brew and bagels are good and its not bad for a bougie corner stop. i've hung out there for cafe workdays but there's rarely more than 5 people in there at a time.

**royce** · June-13-23, 12:22 AM

I had good experiences the times I went in there. Maybe the concept of coffee in one section and beer in another caused people to question if they were good at both or just mediocre. Drove by there today and stuff is left on the counters in the coffee section as if Godzilla was spotted and folks were told to take what they could carry and get out of there. For a business to know that they were closing, you would think they would pack up their supplies and equipment. Maybe Fourteen East Coffee could move to Saucy's location because where they are now is deads-ville, man.

Now, what could help Fourteen East Coffee would be for a residential development to go up across the street on that city-block long vacant lot where that abandoned church mysteriously burned down. You know there was never any mention in the news if fire/police investigators ever found out who started that fire. And who owns it? And how are they able to put concrete blocks completely around the site to prevent people from parking there? And why aren't the owners interested in turning it into a parking lot? And where is Karen Drew when you need her?

**Rocket** · June-13-23, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

The storefronts in that area along John R are still empty. .............. She need to be in a walkable strip such as 9 mile in Ferndale, Old Woodward in Birmingham, Ketchaval in Grosse Pointe, or maybe somewhere in West Village on Detroit's Eastside

Would also need to have a LOT more parking, unless they plan to rely solely on customers from the apartments above. Especially if customers ate going to hang out and play on their laptops for an hour or two.