Astro Coffee

[313rd]

"I think anything on that strip of Michigan will do well"

Not so quick....Mercury Bar ring a bell? Not everything is a gold mine.

Location is one part of the big overall picture. Also, remember wasn't this the guy who ran a couple of fundraisers just to get this business going?

I love that strip of Michigan Ave. Makes you wonder if Oblivions will open back up for breakfast, stay later for drinks? Casey' s still for sale?

[edknight]

$3.18 is a normal price for a quality cup of coffee. It's just like everything else, you get what you pay for. It's like smirnoff vs. grey goose. @joesmithrocks they use Intelligentsia coffee beans which are pretty high quality. Anyone who likes Astro, i would recommend trying Commonwealth in Birmingham if you are ever out that way. They actually roast their own beans in house.

Also Mercury Bar was in the wrong place at the wrong time when it was opened. The artsy kids you guys keep referring to will keep Astro in business, i'm not worried about it at all. Dai did it the right way and people down there are willing to support him.

[BrushStart]

"I think anything on that strip of Michigan will do well"

Not so quick....Mercury Bar ring a bell? Not everything is a gold mine.

Location is one part of the big overall picture. Also, remember wasn't this the guy who ran a couple of fundraisers just to get this business going?

I love that strip of Michigan Ave. Makes you wonder if Oblivions will open back up for breakfast, stay later for drinks? Casey' s still for sale?

You know, there are some bars and restaurants around town that aren't doing well while others are setting records. Some of these struggling establishments just seem tired. Their decor is faded and worn. Their food is mediocre. Their staff and owners seem aloof and detached. They aren't making any effort to reach out to new patrons. They don't offer any new deals, gimmicks, or drink specials, and the loop the same whiny, depressing music in the background. Now, I hang out at a lot of places that fit this description because I normally enjoy the same crusty company, you know, the 3 to 4 regulars who sit belly up to the bar night after night, keeping the place in business by a thread.

However, if some of these places do not make it, I may shed a tear, but I'm not going to be surprised. I know times have been tough and business has been down for many years, but other bars and restaurants are thriving in this town. These 'old dog' bars need to learn some new tricks and up their game. They need to self-inject a shot of adrenaline. Seriously, do some renovations, paint the place purple, hire a peppy new bartender. Create some themed nights, like Karaoke, trivia, or corn-hole. Introduce some live music or even a jukebox. Add some creative new things to the menu other than the same deep-fried junk.

If you want to survive in a dynamic city, you either have to be so legendary of an establishment that you are immortal, or you have to be dynamic and reinvent yourself every so often so people know you're not a rotting corpse of a bar. By god, at least dust the cobwebs off the corners of doors and pluck the fruit flies out of the Tanqueray.

[stasu1213]

I am glad that another coffee shop has opened in the city. I wish this one would have longer hours of daily business for it is close by the time I get off work during the week days. The coffee shops in the suburbs closes at 9pm on weekdays and 10 to 11pm on weekends. Detroit's coffee houses closes as 6pm or no later than 7pm.

[royce]

Brushstart, Don't mince words, just tell us which bars/restaurants need updates.
Stasu1213, the coffee shops/houses close or the coffee shop/house closes.

[BrushStart]

Brushstart, Don't mince words, just tell us which bars/restaurants need updates.
Stasu1213, the coffee shops/houses close or the coffee shop/house closes.

I'm not going to drop names and throw 'em under the bus. I know the proprietors of some of these places and want nothing but the best for their businesses, but I think the general statement that some TLC would probably help their bottom lines is a fair assessment.

[downtownguy]

You know, there are some bars and restaurants around town that aren't doing well while others are setting records. Some of these struggling establishments just seem tired. Their decor is faded and worn.

So, would you suggest the Lafayette Coney Island reinvent itself?

[BrushStart]

So, would you suggest the Lafayette Coney Island reinvent itself?

No, Lafayette is a perfect example of an establishment whose survival in Detroit is all but guaranteed no matter what. They have become so legendary that they are essentially immortal. Barring some major outbreak of food borne illness, both Lafayette and American are untouchable. Other restaurants that I believe have now reached immortal status are Slow's, Pegasus, Old Shaleighleigh, Roma Cafe and maybe a few others. There are a handful of other establishments that are on the brink of near immortal status, but not there just yet. For these places, time and age will actually add to their allure rather than detract from it.