Crain's Detroit Business

08/10/2025

Starting next week, fans of a popular American-made lager won’t have to travel across state lines to get their fix.

Yuengling beer will be available on draft in parts of Michigan starting Monday, followed by cans and bottles in September.

Three Michigan distributors are partnering with the 196-year-old Pennsylvania-based brewer to bring Yuengling to the state: Ypsilanti-based O&W Inc., Highland Park-based Eastown Distributors Co. and Lansing-based Dan Henry Distributing Co.

The Yuengling launch will be limited to the coverage area of the three distributors, including the Ann Arbor, East Lansing and metro Detroit areas.

Sadly, Yuengling will not be available in stadiums, according to the O&W release, but venues near the stadiums will have the opportunity to sell the beer.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/food-drink/yuengling-beer-be-sold-michigan-starting-next-week?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/08/2025

Jerry Millen, the outspoken co-owner of the cannabis dispensary Greenhouse of Walled Lake, wants to go mainstream — emphasis on stream.

Millen has produced a new reality show, "CannaBiz Rescue," and is in partnership with two Hollywood heavy hitters to sell it — Todd Nelson, producer and director for CBS Television and Paramount Global, and Kevin Kay, former president of Paramount and Spike TV.

Millen's "CannaBiz Rescue" is modeled after "Bar Rescue," but for cannabis dispensaries.

Millen serves as the host, using his skills as the operator of the Greenhouse to assist struggling dispensary owners with turning around their operations.

He self-funded the production of a single episode — to the tune of nearly $1 million — in a bid to sell it to streaming services or a network.

Kay said the show pulls on a proven model and believes its success is imminent.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/cannabis/jerry-millen-produces-cannabiz-rescue-tv-show?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/07/2025

An eagerly anticipated carryout-only burger spot owned by a Detroit hospitality group is open for business in Ferndale.

Little Ghost, an offshoot of Grey Ghost restaurant in Detroit, marks the first step into the fast-casual space for Four Man Ladder Hospitality, which also owns and operates Second Best bar and Basan restaurant in Detroit.

The Little Ghost storefront at 22305 Woodward Ave. is distinguished by its bold color palette, bright awning and pink light-up signage out front.

Chef Eric Lees is helming the kitchen at Little Ghost with support from chefs and co-owners Joe Giacomino and John Vermiglio along with partners Will Lee and Michael Gray.

Little Ghost has a small 11-item menu, featuring the popular Grey Ghost burger as a single or a double. The restaurant’s beef is sourced from Fraser-based Fairway Packing Co.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/restaurants/grey-ghost-owners-open-little-ghost-burger-shop-ferndale?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/07/2025

The $75 million Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park will open in late October — three and a half years after work to develop the destination park on Detroit’s west riverfront began.

At the same time, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy will open a boardwalk 17 feet from the river’s shore in front of Riverfront Towers west of downtown Detroit and other parts of the west RiverWalk that will connect to the new waterfront park.

Visitors will be able to travel almost 5 miles along the Detroit River from the east RiverWalk near the bridge to Belle Isle west to the former Joe Louis Arena site, over the new boardwalk, into Centennial Park and up the Southwest Greenway trail to the Michigan Central campus in Corktown.

The Ralph Wilson Park — named in honor of the foundation’s namesake and announced on the 100th anniversary of his birth Oct. 17, 1918 — is set to open the weekend of Oct. 25-26 with a weekend of free activities.

“This park is absolutely going to be a destination for folks to come … whether they're walking there, riding their bike, they're from the adjacent neighborhoods or from the greater metro Detroit area ... or even further out,” Detroit Riverfront Conservancy CEO Ryan Sullivan told Crain's.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/nonprofits-philanthropy/ralph-c-wilson-centennial-park-open?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/06/2025

A metro Detroit family wants to sell a secluded log cabin and guest house that comes with 382 feet of private shoreline in one of Michigan’s top lakeshore markets.

Wally Kidd, a broker with Kidd & Leavy Real Estate, listed the sprawling estate known as “Loon Lodge” for just less than $11.5 million on July 1. The property totals about 1.3 acres along what Kidd calls the “sweet spot” of Walloon Lake in Emmet County’s Melrose Township.

The sellers are a family from Bloomfield Hills who declined to be interviewed and asked not to be named for privacy reasons.

The list price — currently the second highest among all active listings in Emmet County — includes a 4,700-square-foot, four-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom main house and a 400-square-foot, one-bed, one-bath guest house above a garage.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/sprawling-log-cabin-near-petoskey-areas-second-priciest-listing?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/06/2025

Detroit will elect its first female mayor or choose a pastor for the job.

And right now, 90 days before the November election, City Council President Mary Sheffield is in pole position in the Motor City.

She nabbed a majority of the votes in the primary, 50.8%, more than the other eight candidates combined. Runner-up Solomon Kinloch Jr., senior pastor at Triumph Church, has a ton of ground to make up after getting 17.4%.

Sheffield had been expected to win, but her more than 28,000-vote margin over Kinloch — bolstered by undecided voters breaking her way — surprised many observers.

"That's a very strong showing. With that type of finish comes more support, money. That is really an example of how you run a campaign, especially a ground campaign. It's very impressive," said political consultant Mario Morrow Sr., president and CEO of Southfield-based Mario Morrow & Associates.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/politics-policy/mary-sheffield-solomon-kinloch-gear-mayor-showdown?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/06/2025

There’s a new proposal to convert a large, long-vacant property straddling downtown Detroit and Corktown into a mixture of residential and hotel uses.

Southfield-based Blackacre Management LLC closed on the purchase of the Executive Office Plaza — which is sometimes referred to as the Detroit Office Plaza — property at 1200 Sixth St. just south of Michigan Avenue late last week for $5 million, according to a news release.

The complex consists of about 613,000 square feet of space across three towers with 11, 13 and 21 stories and is expected to undergo a residential, hotel and commercial conversion, Dalen Hanna, who runs Blackacre Management along with Maha Banno, said in an email.

Blackacre Management is putting together the finishing touches on a project in Pontiac, but this will be the developers' biggest project to date.

Read more here:

The new owner of the Executive Office Plaza 1200 Sixth St. has a vision for the huge property to convert it to residential and hotel uses.

08/05/2025

LIV Golf is hoping to tap into Michigan sports fandom when it descends next month on metro Detroit’s newest golf course, whose operators are looking for an upside, too.

The Saudi-backed renegade golf league will bring its Aug. 22-24 season finale to The Cardinal at Saint John’s golf resort in Plymouth. The new venue and renovated golf course is prepared to host 10,000-15,000 people per day, said Kevin Doyle, COO for the nonprofit Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, which owns the resort.

“When we did this transformation, we designed this place to be able to host events like this, where it’s not just a hotel, it’s not just a restaurant, it’s not just a golf course,” Doyle told reporters Wednesday during a LIV-hosted virtual media briefing. “So for LIV to come and pick this place to host a global event like this … I think that will generate a great proof point for others to see what a special place this is.”

LIV Golf, funded by the Saudi Arabian government, has promised to inject new life into golf by breaking long-held conventions — think techno music during the backswing versus mandated silence. While the team dynamic of LIV has stirred up intrigue among some golf fans, its ties to the Saudis and clash with the PGA have earned it enemy status among others.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/sports-recreation/liv-golf-prepares-rowdy-crowds-michigan-event?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/04/2025

A challenging economy and steep increases in rent are forcing a more-than 100-year-old downtown Ann Arbor business to close.

Downtown Home & Garden’s last day will be Dec. 24, owner and manager Kelly Vore announced in a social media post. Vore said the financial burden of running the business at 210 S. Ashley St. has become too much.

“It was a turbulent ride through COVID and its economic ups and downs,” Vore said. “We are currently at pre-pandemic volume with post-pandemic expenses.”

The store owner said her rent has gone up 26% this year and is slated to increase another 12% in 2026. Vore said she’s cut costs and downsized, but that still isn’t enough to keep the business running, adding that a colder-than-normal spring and changes in customer spending factored into her decision, too.

“Even with the progress we have made reducing expenses and downsizing, the push to market-align with Ann Arbor’s soaring rental rates is not sustainable,” Vore said.

Read more here:

Downtown Home & Garden is calling it quits later this year.

08/04/2025

A group of Detroit restaurateurs and influencers has made a major investment into a Southfield space they see as more than a club.

Bloom Southfield opened in late June at 25080 Southfield Road, the former home of Paradise Ultra Lounge.

Ron Mims, one of eight partners in the project, said the Bloom ownership team chose Southfield for the new club because of its central location and growing professional population.

“We made a significant investment because we believe in the future of this city,” said Mims, who is also a partner in BLVD restaurant in Southfield. “Southfield sits at the heart of metro Detroit, and we saw a gap in the market for a place that’s stylish, culturally connected, and truly high energy.

Bloom's drinks menu includes handcrafted cocktails and mocktails. The food menu features lamb chops, crab cakes, oysters, jerk chicken sliders, crab dip and truffle fries. Bloom also features live music.

Read more here: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/restaurants/partners-bold-vision-open-bloom-lounge-southfield?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/02/2025

A half-dozen JCPenney buildings in Michigan are part of a nearly $1 billion pending private equity deal for more than 100 of the department store chain’s properties.

Those selling in the $947 million all-cash sale to Boston-based Onyx Partners Ltd. include the stores at Oakland Mall in Troy, Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights, Twelve Oaks Mall in Novi, Waterside Marketplace in Chesterfield Township, Rivertown Crossings in Grandville and Grand Traverse Mall in Traverse City.

The sale is expected to close Sept. 8, according to a news release from Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust, an entity created to dispose of 160 JCPenney stores and six of its warehouses to reimburse creditors following the department store’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case in 2020.

To date, Newmark said it has sold 39 of the retail properties for a total of $515 million, an average of about $13.2 million per property.

The Onyx deal falls short of that figure at a shade under $8 million per building, which led some on an investor call earlier this week to question the wide gap.

Read more: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estate/boston-pe-firm-onyx-buying-6-michigan-jcpenney-buildings?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own

08/01/2025

Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chair Dave Woodward says he’s keeping his consulting work for Sheetz gas stations separate from his duties as a public official, despite allegations that the involvement is a conflict of interest.

Woodward’s work for Sheetz has drawn criticism from some members of the community, including the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce, which counts dozens of gas station owners as members. It's also inspired the proposal of ethics and financial disclosure resolutions in Oakland County government.

Woodward said this week that Sheetz, a Pennsylvania-based chain that plans to open dozens of locations in Michigan, is a client through his public policy and business consulting firm. Woodward said his role with Sheetz is to provide general strategy advice to the company for its business growth in Michigan.

“I have 30 years of experience,” Woodward said. “I understand Oakland County. I understand the business sector."

Early last year, Sheetz announced plans to open 50-60 stores in Southeast Michigan by the end of the decade. Since then, the company has gotten approval to build 20 locations in the region and has opened two, both in Romulus. Two others are under construction in Chesterfield Township and Warren.

Sheetz has also had a handful of proposals shot down in communities including Livonia, Farmington Hills and Wixom.

Independent gas station owners have been vocal at local planning and city council meetings, questioning the need for Sheetz in the region and citing its 24/7 model and increased competition as concerns.

Read more: https://www.crainsdetroit.com/politics-policy/dave-woodward-sheetz-oakland-county?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=soc-own