Looking back on 2022's Detroit restaurant closures
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Happy hours at Roast. Croissants from Ochre Bakery. Lentil burgers from Cass Cafe.
- We've had to say farewell to these treasured dining experiences — and more — as a range of local restaurants shut their doors this year.
Why it matters: From the pandemic and inflation to trouble securing and keeping staff, the city's restaurant owners and workers have had a tough couple years.
- The restaurant industry has particularly thin profit margins, meaning economic and workforce shifts can break the bank more easily than in other sectors.
- While more people are dining in as they return to offices and choose less social distancing, higher prices also affect customers' decision-making.
By the numbers: About 90% of Michigan operators have higher operating costs and are less profitable than in 2019, per a summer Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association survey.
A selection of closures:
Detroit Vegan Soul permanently shuttered its West Village location last winter, and while its spot on the west side is open, it doesn't offer dine-in.
- "It became financially impossible to continue holding the space without it generating revenue and not having reliable staff," co-owner Kirsten Ussery told Crain's Detroit.
Historic LGBTQ+ bar Woodward Bar & Grill shut down after it was destroyed by a fire in June.
- Traffic Jam & Snug also closed after a May fire.
Vegan coney Chili Mustard Onions is closing sometime this month, with the owner telling the Free Press it was "running on fumes."
Soul food restaurant Le Culture Cafe shut its downtown location, but opened the carry-out spot Culture Soul on Eight Mile.
Other shutterings include My Dad's Bar on the east side, chef Kate Williams' diner Karl's, and Connie and Barbara's Soul Food, which closed, but reopened under new leadership, according to reports.
What they're saying: "There's still been a challenge for a lot of our restaurateurs … There are a lot of restaurants in the community that I think basically shut their doors just because there's not enough people coming in there," Clarence Gayles, executive director of the Detroit Restaurant and Lodging Association, tells Axios.
- Plus, food costs over the last year and a half were really high, he says.
- "Only so much of it can be passed on to the consumer."
The bottom line: It's not an easy time, but Detroit's food scene remains vibrant with old standbys continuing traditions and new options cropping up.
📬 Tell us: What's your favorite restaurant that closed recently? Email [email protected] and we'll feature the best responses soon.