Biggby Coffee, New Coney Coming to Dearborn
It appears Biggby Coffee and a new coney island are going into the Norm Newman-owned strip mall on Michigan, just west of Military.
Signs promise new business in a Newman-owned strip mall.
Signs in the window indicate a Biggby Coffee will soon be moving into the strip mall. A visit to the Biggby website says the same, showing a new store at 22445 Michigan Ave.
The new coney restaurant is called Cedars Coney Island and will occupy the building that once housed Village Islands Coney, which was closed after a fire.
Our fingers are crossed these two businesses will open, and soon. It was more than a year ago that Mr. Newman put up signs in his vacant Inca and Pier 1 buildings promising a “Redevelopment Coming Soon.” Thirteen months later, the buildings still sit empty.
April 14th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Yum! Love the s/f vanilla latte at Bigby! Can’t wait!
April 15th, 2010 at 6:29 am
Hope they stay!
April 15th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Great news! Love hearing about more biz moving in to the vacancies.
April 15th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Good news! Now tell us a Trader Joe’s will go into the empty Inca building and we’ll be really onto something!
April 15th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
We will be able to fill some additional storefront properties only when Neumann passes on unfortunately, because he is a greedy person, who doesn’t care about anyone but himself — the miser.
April 15th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Progress is progress! Be happy with anything new we get in this economy.
April 15th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
Yes! Please get Trader Joe’s here! The empty Inca building is perfect–great idea!
April 15th, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I just sent Trader Joe’s an email and BEGGED them to consider opening a store here. A crazy long shot, but you never know. We’ll see what happens.
April 15th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
The City will NEVER allow it. Westborn Fruit Market will complain and the Mayor will not let it happen.
April 16th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Another coffee joint? Well, at least it’s not sushi.
April 16th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Yes!!!! Trader Joes is a fantastic idea! The people of Westborn should not complain………There is another Westborn Market on Woodward (Berkley) – across the street from Trader Joes (Royal Oak). Both are very successful!
Inca/Pier One would indeed be a great location!!!!!!!!!
April 16th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
In all my years here in Dearborn, I have never heard one good word about Neuman; nor have I met him.
I was told once by a city official that he had entered a conversation to bring an Applebees to the Inca location, but the offer Neuman made was so entirely inappropriate, Applebees backed away.
My sense is the guy must be a caveman.
That said, my thinking is Trader Joes would be more likely to move in along side of the (northern) Kroger development, although that location seems to face it’s own set of challenges, and doesn’t seem to have the same “pedestrian” appeal of the Inca location…it was once enjoyable to at least window shop in the Pier One windows…
I live 2 blocks from that area, and we do our best to patronize Aco and hope they stick it out. Under different economic conditions, and with a more creative landowner, that entire area could be a vibrant shopping/dining destination.
Alas.
April 16th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
45 years in Dbn,
Neumann would rather leave his properties empty than give someone a break in rent. Why? Because he is rich enough AND our government allows him to write off his losses (no rents) on his taxes. It’s easier to get your money from Uncle Sam than to go out and work for it! That is starting to become the American way. How many people do you know who have been collecting unemployment for YEARS ? Yes, jobs are tough to find but it is also easier to sit home and pick up a check out of your mailbox than going to work.
April 16th, 2010 at 9:23 pm
The City of Dearborn should have long ago figured out how to deal with Neuman. No one person should have the power to hold a city hostage as he has with commercial properties being empty for years. Can’t they get something in the charter that puts a limit on the time a building can stand empty? At the least, these buildings and properties should be cited for ANY lack of care or maintenance. My feeling is that its basically been ignored and Neuman has had his way with our town! I think its time a little pressure is applied.
April 17th, 2010 at 7:05 am
Forget Applebees or any real big chain you see on every corner…we have enough of them. What makes a city fun to visit? A unique variety is what we need. Dearborn doesn’t even have a hometown icecream shop. If you want Ice cream you have to go to Coldstone. Kiernan’s, Millers, La Pita and places like Dearborn Music are places that make our city interesting. Trader Joes is a great idea because there isn’t one on every corner. We DON’T need an ALDI that is for sure. From my understanding Newman is what is holding this city back from this dream. So maybe this is the issue we need to start addressing.
April 17th, 2010 at 8:26 am
How about the buildings that housed Hancock Fabric or Michaels? What about Mich. and Telegraph? Hakim’s property? You sure don’t see anyone in any hurry to buy any of these do you?
April 18th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Yay, another coney! Wish Van’s was still around.
April 18th, 2010 at 10:26 pm
“wanting better for dearborn”, im not a newman fan but the idea that living off employment is actually anywhere near a “living” or some sort of lifestyle is one of the dumbest comments Ive ever read!…Im sure you heard that somewhere or better yet, read a headline on a blog……..Id advise you in the future to not write off the interest on your mortgage since you are such a person of great ethical standard
April 18th, 2010 at 10:39 pm
We need some privately owned businesses in Dearborn. What have been the most successful businesses over the years? Adray, Westborn, Dearborn Music, Kiernan’s, Cheli’s.
Landlords are NEVER a good idea – residential or commercial. Neuman needs to SELL his properties and let us move on. Same goes for Fahkoury. Sell the property to somebody who wants to put a business in and WORK. Let these guys invest in the stock market.
April 19th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
If someone can point to a successful “family owned”retail/restaurant/entertainment concept that is working in ANY suburban community, I’m all ears.
I’m not trying to be glib here, just recognizing the reality in which we live when many of us go to “big box” stores for the basics. Between Target, Walmart, Sears, Loews, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, Kroger,Home Depot and more, most of the consumer needs are met.
Hats off to Dearborn Music for hanging in for decades, in spite of the fact that music sources are often free now. Campbells Paint too.
The parking issues in and around the old Talal’s area, I’m told, were prohibitive for retailers, who require fast, in-and-out parking which was non-existent when the Ford crowd used to fill up the lots at lunch.
Dearborn Jewelers was a wonderful, family-owned business that bolted for Plymouth where the downtown area is so much more condusive to foot traffic, and I suspect the demographics make more sense. Funny they still use the name “Dearborn Jewelers.” I hope Nick and his family are doing well, and certainly hold no grudge…not sure if the building they were in belongs to Fakhoury or not…that would explain a plenty if so I suspect.
Gift shops have come and gone. Fabric store, a national brand, closed up as well. Computers? nope. Agius jewlery? nope. Exercise equipment? nope. Blues club? nope Dance club(s), nope. Flowers? nope. Bakery? nope. Tailor? nope. Bike shop? nope. Weight Watchers? nope. AT&T? nope. Au bon pain? nope….help me out here, I know I’m forgetting plenty.
And further down the road there was: Clydes Carpet, Baskin Robbins, the prosthetic store, and the Pizza buffet….all gone. The southern Krogers and Marshalls are good bookends for the old Crowley’s “mall,” though I confess I have never set foot in any store other than Staples and CVS…I’d love a Sanders cream puff though…wait, Sanders is long gone.
Then there are some that seem to be getting by: Starbucks, yep. Men’s Warehouse? I guess so, but have no idea. Kiernans, yes, but I suspect barely holding on. Chelis? yes, but for sale. Baileys? sure, but also for sale. Double Olive? who knows, but for sale or facing eviction. La Pita, doing consistently well, hats off—it doesn’t hurt to be the (nearly) only middle eastern joint on the west side. The wedding place across from La Pita is beautiful and I assume doing just fine. Logan Glass? I guess so. New Place? probably ok.
Finding a tenant or a business owner with the right combination of idea, financing, and location is, as evidenced above, extremely challenging. Even in good economic conditions.
What have you seen work elsewhere??
Go Wings
April 20th, 2010 at 12:44 am
Marge–the city knows how to deal with Newman alright–they named a street after him!!!
I suspect Newman has long been a good donor to Guido, O’Reilly, Thomas, etc.
April 20th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
The city named the street Newman ages ago and it was named after his father, not the current son of Newman. A number of years back, part of Newman Street west of Military was renamed West Village Drive.
April 20th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Sorry, I meant east of Military that Newman Street was renamed West Village Drive.
April 20th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Emanon-If O’reilly and Thomas have been profiting, maybe they should buy some buildings and go into business.
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:22 am
45 years in Dearborn has many good thoughts and comments. The “old days” where there were the mom and pop stores in west Dearborn on Michigan Avenue are long gone. While I welcome something in the Newman buildings as opposed to nothing I can’t but wonder how long it will be before the coney and Biggby’s (formerly known as Beaner’s of which their name never offended me or anyone I knew of Hispanic or Mexican origin) are both gone. Something needs to change in the micro or macro sense of economics for Dearborn to thrive again or it will end up just like Detroit.