Restaurant based on Joe Muer's to open at RenCen, sources say

[begingri]

BY BRENT SNAVELY AND CHRISSIE THOMPSON
DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITERS

General Motors is close to filling the restaurant space overlooking the Detroit River in the Renaissance Center left empty by the closure of Seldom Blues.

A seafood restaurant based on the iconic Joe Muer's restaurant that would be owned and operated by Andiamo Restaurant Group is expected to fill the space, people familiar with the negotiations said. Andiamo is buying the rights to the Muer name and possibly its recipes. A news conference to announce the deal has been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, although the deal has not yet been finalized.

Joe Vicari, CEO of the Andiamo Restaurant Group, declined to comment. Andiamo also operates Andiamo Detroit Riverfront in the Renaissance Center. Andiamo, Coach Insignia and Seldom Blues were the three main restaurants that opened in the Renaissance Center in 2004.


Continued at: http://www.freep.com/article/20110329/BUSINESS06/103290331/0/OPINION01/Restaurant-based-Joe-Muer-s-open-RenCen-sources-say?odyssey=nav|head

[BrushStart]

This is good news, I just wish some of the other places that have been rumored to be opening would actually OPEN!

-The Chop House
-Brazilian Steakhouse
-Detroit Breakfast House
-Mercury Burger Bar
-Etc
-Etc
-Etc

[rbdetsport]

Most of them are probably waiting to open at the start of the summer when there are a lot more people visiting every night and when there are many more events going on.

[Detroitej72]

The only bad thing is the new place will lack the history and charm of the old joint on Gratiot. Still, this is good news, especially since the Andiamo's in the Ren Cen is the busiest in the chain, so hopefully that bodes well for JM's.

[401don]

Would have liked to see this in the Compuware space instead of the Brazilian steakhouse. I think the Joe Muer's name will give it a solid chance at sticking around.

[professorscott]

Well, Joe is a great guy and I hope the Andiamo people can bring back some of the charm and ambiance. I have no doubt they can pull off the food and service.

The Renaissance Center is in the heart of downtown, which gives them a chance to succeed with this. The difficulty with the part of lower Gratiot where Joe Muer's restaurant had been is that it is just a little too far outside the main current of downtown. If you wanted to get there from downtown, you had to drive there. [[OK, you could take the Gratiot bus, but I doubt much of Joe's clientele were bus riders.)

I wish all success to Andiamo's in this venture, and I will sure try like heck to get some seafood on opening night!

[bailey]

hopefully they can do better with this than the current abortion that is Rojo in SCS.

[esp1986]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Chop House and Texas du Brazil are waiting on liquor licenses. In Wayne County, there are only so many, you either have to buy one from a restaurant going out of business or put your name on the loooong waiting list. I am guessing the Mercury Bar license is still with the property.

[GPCharles]

Liquor licenses are granted by community not county. There are many licenses available in Detroit. That being said, the approval process can be lengthy.

[bartock]

hopefully they can do better with this than the current abortion that is Rojo in SCS.

Yeah and that place seems to always be packed. I don't get it.

[softailrider]

Well, Joe is a great guy and I hope the Andiamo people can bring back some of the charm and ambiance. I have no doubt they can pull off the food and service.

The Renaissance Center is in the heart of downtown, which gives them a chance to succeed with this. The difficulty with the part of lower Gratiot where Joe Muer's restaurant had been is that it is just a little too far outside the main current of downtown. If you wanted to get there from downtown, you had to drive there. [[OK, you could take the Gratiot bus, but I doubt much of Joe's clientele were bus riders.)

I wish all success to Andiamo's in this venture, and I will sure try like heck to get some seafood on opening night!

I don't think that the Gratiot / East Vernor location had anything to do with Muer's going out of business. For the last 5 or 6 years before they closed, the food went way downhill. Personally, I think the last head chef they had there killed the place.

[detroitbob]

If anyone can run the old Seldom Blues site it is the Andiamo group...and they can carry off the fish house concept---remember, they are already in Ren Cen and as a chain [[albeit local) have the buying power to operate on a food cast that will work. Great news, IMHO.