Tim Horton's Has Opened in the Compuware Bldg.

**OriginalG313** · May-03-10, 09:41 AM

Signs are up in the building announcing the arrival of Quicken and Fathead this summer. It looks like they have 3 or 4 floors. And, when I passed the parking structure I saw the sign for CK Mediterranean Grille. It's supposed to open in a few weeks.

**DetroitSTAR** · May-03-10, 09:54 AM

Tim Hortons on Jefferson at Grand as well as the Millender Center have been busy every time I have used them. I hope they get plenty of business in Compuware also.

**Sarah** · May-03-10, 10:13 AM

Anyone know the status of Tim Horton's in the Rosa Parks Transit Center?

**Gannon** · May-03-10, 11:36 AM

Any knowledge of who is behind the'CK' Mediterranean Grille?

I would LOVE it if Farouk, of the old Mediterranean Cafe from Greektown, were reopening downtown! I always loved his food and enjoyed his conversation.

**Crew** · May-03-10, 11:41 AM

Gannon, I believe "CK" is Cafe Kabob in Southfield and Mr. Kabob which started in a gas station in Berkley.

**rbdetsport** · May-03-10, 10:32 PM

I wasn't aware of Fathead moving downtown too.

DetroitDad · May-04-10, 04:44 AM

Originally Posted by rbdetsport

I wasn't aware of Fathead moving downtown too.

Supposedly there are still several other unannounced companies who Gilbert is trying to motivate to make the move Downtown. The new formula is office/jobs go in first, then demand for retail follows. After retail is in place, the next step in revitalization would be a focus on residential building and conversions.

There are other things involved, but once that cycle is done enough times, it should create a tipping point. The tipping point is when Downtown Detroit becomes a desirable place to work, live, and entertain, and the end of the cycle repeats itself naturally. Once Downtown is done, it will be a place that people want to live next to, and should also provide a recipe that can be repeated across the city.

During all of this, there is a lot more that needs to be done to actually keep the human habitat desirable...

**313WX** · May-04-10, 06:31 AM

I also heard directly from management that they're working on opening a location inside one of Detroit's hospitals.

Does anyone have an idea of which one it is?

**DetBill** · May-04-10, 07:26 AM

Glad Tims is there, I often wondered years ago why they didnt open downtown,, there a BIG hit in Canada everywhere, the kiosk across from my office in Windsor is never empty. They always open in commercial and residential areas with a good combination- decent food , reasonable and most importantly, kept clean.

**Maple Leaf Rag** · May-04-10, 09:22 AM

Fathead? Oooh! Can't wait. Hope they carry the real Detroit action figures.
1) Sam Riddle leveling a shotgun at Mary Waters.
2) MonCon reaching for a sack o' 20's in the Mickey D's parking lot.
3) KK shoving a deputy off of the porch.
4) Rev. David Murray teaching his kids a lesson.

**pffft** · May-04-10, 09:32 AM

Timbits for all!

**DetroitSTAR** · May-04-10, 10:21 AM

I don't want to hijack, but I think its somewhat related...

Any information about the formers Boarders space inside Compuware? I would have to believe that would be a very good location for something considering the proximity to thousands of workers above, and hundreds of summertime pedestrians in the park.

**OriginalG313** · May-04-10, 10:28 AM

From ModelD
http://www.modeldmedia.com/devnews/compuware050410.aspx

Downtown lands 2 new eateries: Tim Hortons and CK Mediterranean

Tuesday, May 04, 2010
Related Tags

Food and Drink
Downtown Detroit
Downtown's lost a couple of eateries in the past months but, if it makes you feel any better, a couple more are opening up. This week, a Tim Hortons is opening inside the Compuware Building on Monroe at Woodward and, just east on Monroe between Farmer and Randolph, there will be a sit-down Middle Eastern restaurant, CK Mediterranean Grille & Catering, come June.

The Tim Hortons will be located in the former Janet's Java; it's the second Downtown Detroit location for the chain. The proprietor of CK Mediterranean Grille is Ouse Gulli, who opened Cafe Kabob in Berkley in 2002 and a sit-down version of the restaurant in 2008. He is now franchising the restaurant nationally.

Inquiries in commercial space at Compuware have been up, according to Gail Lopez, commercial real estate manager for Compuware. "Activity has really picked up for us with the announcement of Quicken Loans [[moving employees into the building)," she says. "There's a lot more activity, mainly lots of restaurants."

The three spaces that are currently unoccupied include the former Woodward Restaurant and Borders in the Compuware Building proper and the former Rio Boutique in the Monroe-fronting parking garage that includes Orchid Thai and soon enough, CK Mediterranean.

Read more about CK Mediterranean Grilled here.

Source: Gail Lopez, Compuware
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

**DetroitSTAR** · May-04-10, 11:03 AM

I'm not sure why CK wont be open past 6pm. That seems like a location that could draw a decent dinner crowd between people getting off work, and people looking to eat before events or bar hopping. At least try 9pm and scale back if things don't work out, but closing at 6pm right when you open will turn off some people that see it closed when they go by at 7 looking for a place to eat dinner.

**casscorridor** · May-04-10, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by DetroitSTAR

I'm not sure why CK wont be open past 6pm. That seems like a location that could draw a decent dinner crowd between people getting off work, and people looking to eat before events or bar hopping. At least try 9pm and scale back if things don't work out, but closing at 6pm right when you open will turn off some people that see it closed when they go by at 7 looking for a place to eat dinner.

So stupid. I see this repeated dozens of times around the downtown/midtown area. Especially around the university where [[until very recently) literally nothing stays open past 7 or 8 [[not including bars of course). I tell the business owners that they should stay open and they look at me like I'm crazy, when in reality they are the crazy ones. They extremely underestimate the potential for night crowds. There are thousands of students that live on or near campus that don't go out because businesses shut their doors to them. Someone is going to make a fortune by opening up some late night places near the university.

But the same goes for Downtown, i think its insane how so many places close, especially a full restaurant. The owners probably don't live Downtown so they probably don't even know what it is like after they leave at 6 PM.

**DetroitSTAR** · May-04-10, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by casscorridor

So stupid. I see this repeated dozens of times around the downtown/midtown area. Especially around the university where [[until very recently) literally nothing stays open past 7 or 8 [[not including bars of course). I tell the business owners that they should stay open and they look at me like I'm crazy, when in reality they are the crazy ones. They extremely underestimate the potential for night crowds. There are thousands of students that live on or near campus that don't go out because businesses shut their doors to them. Someone is going to make a fortune by opening up some late night places near the university.

But the same goes for Downtown, i think its insane how so many places close, especially a full restaurant. The owners probably don't live Downtown so they probably don't even know what it is like after they leave at 6 PM.

I completely agree. Business owners say they don't stay open because nobody is downtown at night...well nobody is downtown at night because they have no place to eat! I east downtown after 8pm about 2-3 times a week. I end up going to the same handful of places. When I eat out during the day I have a ton of options, but at night it is fairly limited. It would be one thing if there was an overabundance of that particular type of place, but the last time I checked we are not over our heads in Mediterranean food.

**p1acebo** · May-04-10, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitSTAR

I completely agree. Business owners say they don't stay open because nobody is downtown at night...well nobody is downtown at night because they have no place to eat! I east downtown after 8pm about 2-3 times a week. I end up going to the same handful of places. When I eat out during the day I have a ton of options, but at night it is fairly limited. It would be one thing if there was an overabundance of that particular type of place, but the last time I checked we are not over our heads in Mediterranean food.

I just recently moved downtown [[millender center), and I was curious about places to go eat after 8pm. Do you have any suggestions?

**DetroitSTAR** · May-04-10, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by p1acebo

I just recently moved downtown [[millender center), and I was curious about places to go eat after 8pm. Do you have any suggestions?

Depends on what you like...

I've been downtown for 5 years and eat out 2-3 times a week. I'm a fan of food and will try anything once so I'm not too picky about checking out new places.

Of course you are right by sweetwater and Jacoby's. I like Pappy's in greektown for sports, Loco's for good mexican food--I could list more, but I guess it depends on what you like. There are obvious options in Greektown, but the places on Broadway and a couple on the west side of downtown are good too. Union Street on Woodward is my favorite place to eat after 7pm.

**p1acebo** · May-04-10, 12:28 PM

Union Street in midtown? Never been there but I heard it was good.

I have been to Pappy's for sandwiches before and they are pretty good... how late is Locos open? I am a fan of food as well, especially trying different types of food. Is there any Italian places in/around downtown that are open late?

**DetroitSTAR** · May-04-10, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by p1acebo

Union Street in midtown? Never been there but I heard it was good.

I have been to Pappy's for sandwiches before and they are pretty good... how late is Locos open? I am a fan of food as well, especially trying different types of food. Is there any Italian places in/around downtown that are open late?

Loco's is open until at least midnight every night. I think they are open until 3 on weekends.

For Italian, Roma Cafe in Eastern Market is fantastic--Mario's in midtown if you have a little extra $ to spend.

**softailrider** · May-04-10, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitSTAR

Tim Hortons on Jefferson at Grand as well as the Millender Center have been busy every time I have used them. I hope they get plenty of business in Compuware also.

I've been to the Tim Hortons on Jefferson many times right at lunch hours, never noticed it very busy at all. Maybe that's a good thing, their parking lot is terrible, only room for 6 or 7 cars.

DetroitDad · May-04-10, 10:13 PM

Most of these are open until ten or eleven on weekdays, later on Weekends. There are other good restaurants in Midtown, Mexican Town, and on East Jefferson.

The Subway at Grand Circus Park is also open past 7pm now.
Bucharest Grill behind the Kales Building is open later.
New Parthenon, Pizzapopolis, Plaka's, and others in Greektown [[good fish and chips at New Parthenon)
American and Lafayette Coney Island off Campus Martius.
The Bar and Grill in the Holiday Inn on Washington and Michigan Avenue.
24 Grille, in the Book Cadillac on Michigan and Washington.
Roast, in thee Westing Book Cadillac on Washington and Michigan.
Lucy and Ethels on Bagley and Cass
Angelina's Italian Bistro [[But, closed Mondays) on Grand Circus Park.
Small Plates on Broadway, across from the Detroit Opera House.
Orchid Thai may have extended their hours in the Compuware Building.
Hard Rock Cafe on Campus Martius Park.

Really, the places that aren't open are in the Financial District and Renaissance Center, which do most of their business during the day. There are also several Chinese restaurants that are open late, and will deliver to Downtown.

As to so many places going out of business, it is the places that closed early and/or didn't bother posting hours, that have been having the most trouble. Owning a restaurant is a lot of work, and I could see owners not wanting to stay open late if they could get away with it. If open late, owning a restaurant means long hours, and isn't always a huge money maker when you consider how much work you have to put in.

**DetroitScooter** · May-05-10, 09:46 AM

Small Plates and also the Detroit Beer Company are open late and are located on Broadway, not Bagley.

DetroitDad · May-05-10, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitScooter

Small Plates and also the Detroit Beer Company are open late and are located on Broadway, not Bagley.

Thank You for that!

That is not by any means a complete list, just places I was suggesting.

Just in case any Downtown business owners, or dreamers are listening;

I too am extremely frustrated and tired of going to a restaurant or store in Downtown or Midtown, only to find out that they close early, often with no or different hours than they posted. Generally, I have a mandatory boycott of restaurants that close before 7pm, and retailers that close before 6pm, mainly because I work late, and when I don't work late, I don't have the time to remember hours, especially when I am entertaining. I don't even bother with a call to check your hours anymore. If you are not open past 6pm-7pm on a regular basis, your storefront might as well be a mothballed vacant building to me and mine.

I visit a lot of new places because I like to explore, but when I am entertaining clients, family, guests, or even just out for something small with my wife and daughter, you will not be in the back of my head when we decide where we are going to eat, shop, get our haircut, etc.. If you don't hold true to your hours, I will not risk bringing a client to your establishment, or suggesting a coworker go there. I don't care how great the price, service, or location is, if the hours are not shown, ideal, and honored.

If you just want to make a quick buck on the office lunch crowd, that's fine, I understand, but if you want to be the talk of the town and tap into the under-served 6,000-7,000 residents who live in Downtown Detroit, you have to keep up your hours. Just about every single place that has closed has not done this, with some rare exceptions.