Wave of new restaurants opening near Ann Arbor despite economy
Restaurateurs who think they've found unfilled niches in the Ann Arbor cuisine scene are providing a flurry of activity in what remains one of the more vibrant sectors of the local economy.
Jumping on the locavore movement, Great Plains Burgers on Plymouth and the Grange Kitchen & Bar on Liberty are providing locally sourced eating options at opposite ends of the expense scale.
The Temptations Indian restaurant in Ypsilanti recently reopened as the only such eatery in town.
Also, a longtime restaurant family is planning a redevelopment of the Cherry Blossom Japanese restaurant on South State Street in Pittsfield Township, having recently transferred a liquor license to a new LLC; and a new sports bar, the Milan Grill, has opened in downtown Milan.
And there may be more coming -- real estate broker Jim Chaconas of Colliers International said restaurants are providing most of the interest in the vacant first-floor space at the Handicraft Building at Liberty and Division in downtown Ann Arbor.
He said he's in ongoing talks with a restaurateur for the space, and that other operators from the Detroit area often look to Ann Arbor as a place to do business.
"They're looking at where is the most stable market in Michigan, and that's in Ann Arbor," he said. "Most people are looking to be at downtown or the campus area."
He also said restaurant operators with new things to try out are attracted to the city.
"People with new concepts want to launch in Ann Arbor," he said.
While the University of Michigan may provide a constant set of customers, Mike Gibbons of Mainstreet Ventures, which owns, among others, Palio, Gratzi, Real Seafood Co. and Carson's American Bistro, said that doesn't guarantee success.
"If you have a good concept and good service, you can do well," said Gibbons, who was recently named chairman of the board of the National Restaurant Association.
More recent downtown changes include a new partnership that will take over Rush Street, and the September opening of Jolly Pumpkin Cafe & Brewery.
In Pittsfield Township, the Youssef family, which has operated Big Boys across Michigan for decades, is working on converting the closed Cherry Blossom Japanese restaurant into an upscale eatery that would have room for 270 customers and employ between 20 and 30 people.
Zakhour Youssef declined to discuss the details because he hasn't settled on a specific plan, but in a filing with the Pittsfield Township Board of Trustees, he said the 10,300-square-foot space would become an "upscale" and "elegant" restaurant.
Youssef was seeking a transfer of the restaurant's liquor license to a different LLC, a move that was approved by the township board in September.
In Milan, Greg and Bobby Stamatopoulos, who run restaurants in Jackson, Dexter, Pinckney, Tecumseh and Saline, opened the Milan Grill on Oct. 1.
Still, even while new market entries seek viable positions, existing restaurants have been feeling the pinch of the current economic recession, Gibbons said.
"We're flat, and I don't remember saying that before," he said. "There are fewer people dining ... and there are more restaurants, so more places to choose from."
Main Street Ventures, has been opening new restaurants Dayton, Ohio, and Annapolis, Md., but Gibbons said there are no plans to expand in Ann Arbor.
He said the continuing proliferation of restaurants downtown can be a double-edged sword -- on one hand, it provides a place for people to come and browse for a place to eat, potentially attracting more diners. On the other hand, it may come to a point that there are more restaurants than demand dictates.
"Eventually, there may be more restaurants than there's a need for. I don't know if that will happen," he said.
Freelance reporter Dan Meisler can be reached at danmeisler@gmail.com.
Comments
Barb Roether
Fri, Oct 23, 2009 : 10:39 a.m.
Really enjoyed dinner and service at the Jolly Pumpkin a couple of weeks ago. Will be back.
greenstriper
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 6:43 a.m.
We visited the re-opened Temptations last night. Having been fans of their cooking in the previous incarnation, the new menu did not disappoint. While it is buffet service only, for a couple more weeks, what we sampled last night was consistent with our fond memories of our favorite dishes. As before, the buffet isn't "dumbed down" and a nice degree of spiciness is evident. Temptations' take on Indian cuisine has always been the best match locally to our tastes, and the new regime appears posed to continue that happy trend.
greenstriper
Mon, Oct 19, 2009 : 11:43 a.m.
Visited Great Plains Friday night and had a very good burger, but to me, the fries stood out. They're not the crispy variety, but they have a lot of their own flavor-- not bleached and dried out.
David Briegel
Sat, Oct 17, 2009 : 1:15 p.m.
I thought the burger and beer at Jolly Pumpkin was not just good but outstanding! Truffle fries! Wow. Great service!
roadsidedinerlover
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 11:33 p.m.
There is a big new Chinese restaurant going up on Washtenaw next door to the Asian supermarket...
Julie
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 7:48 p.m.
I had a fantastic meal at Grange. Highly recommended!
eagleman
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 7:47 p.m.
The ones in downtown will be gone within a few years. High rent, intense competition, plus the seasonal nature of traffic in Ann Arbor makes it difficult for restaurants to thrive in downtown.
uawisok
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 3:28 p.m.
The Blue Tractor has great bar food...a little on the noisy side though
Jessica Webster
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 3 p.m.
I'm looking forward to trying Great Plains Burgers! Jolly Pumpkin and Grange have been real treats.
texorama
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 12:31 p.m.
Temptations is not yet open, but is supposedly going to open this weekend. Sounds like good stuff.
letsgoblue
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 12:24 p.m.
Yea for Jolly Pumpkin!
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 11:44 a.m.
There are more restaurants because, for whatever reason, it's the only use that City Council allows without making life a nightmare for a developer. I guess obstructionists have to eat, too.
Mike Hulsebus
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 10:30 a.m.
I've also got to recommend the Jolly Pumpkin.
Paula Gardner
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 9:32 a.m.
John Hritz, The McDonald's on South State (between I-94 and Ellsworth) IS demolished. It's part of the chain's remodeling/upgrading efforts. They're "scraping" the site and starting fresh with a new structure, like was just completed on Washtenaw and about a year ago (based on memory, so I may be off) on Carpenter Road. Not sure of the timing, but these rebuilds are pretty fast. I'll bet it's up and running by early November.
a2huron
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 9:11 a.m.
I can recommend Great Plains.
John Hritz
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 8:52 a.m.
Was I dreaming or did the McDonald's across the parking lot from Cherry Blossom get demolished?
Rick Miller
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 8:46 a.m.
I also question the viability of the old Cherry Blossom location, also wish them well, for the location is oh so close to my office and it would be nice to have another nearby restaurant alternative.
mrk
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 8:40 a.m.
I was sad to see Cherry Blossom go, because I thought it was excellent. They did good things (interior) with a space left over from Chi Chi's. I'm afraid that's not the best location for a restaurant, though, since the sports bar across the street changed hands many times and hasn't been open in years and, frankly, the location mentioned in the article still looks like a Chi Chi's from the outside. It would be nice to have high quality, hopefully somewhat affordable dining right there, though.
mypostname
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 : 8:24 a.m.
Also Mi Zarape in Pittsfield Township (Michigan and State). Awesome Mexican!