A Roundup of New Dearborn Business Developments
Wendy's before the demolition. Dearborn Theatre is in the background.
The building that was once home of Wendy’s hamburgers at Michigan and Telegraph has been razed and is expected to be the future home of Sonic burgers.
The deal to land a Sonic at that intersection is about 90 percent complete, according to one city official.
. . . Wendy's after the demolition.
The long-closed Dearborn Theatre also is slated to be demolished. However, a date for the removal of that building isn’t yet know. As we have reported here once before, discussions have been ongoing about building a new Hampton Inn hotel on the site of the theatre complex.
The current Hampton Inn in Dearborn, just east of Brady on Michigan Avenue, will at some point have to operate under a different name as the hotel in its current design does not meet Hampton’s new corporate requirements.
In other development news, the government-run auction for the long-closed La Shish restaurant and adjoining Talal’s restaurant on Michigan Avenue was apparently held last week. No word yet on who submitted the winning bid but hopefully something soon will happen with that eyesore of a building.
And finally, the owners of Ciao, the restaurant on Monroe that was badly damaged in a fire nearly a year ago, tell us that they are close to inking a deal for a new building in a new location in west Dearborn. The popular Italian eatery could open in the second quarter of this year, if all goes as planned.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:22 am
All of this is excellent news, the only downside is the potential for hampton inn to located there as opposed to between the parking decks, which would really support spin off business in that area….wondering what the story is with the newer hotel being built down the street, seems to be little to zero action!
March 1st, 2010 at 7:02 am
100% would be a better figure for Sonic.
March 1st, 2010 at 11:43 am
I’ve heard that a female member of the Newman family that owns many vacant buildings in Dearborn has taken over that responsibility and is easier to work with than her predecessors. Reportedly, the owner of Ciao is in negotiations to re-open the restaurant at the old Tenny Street Station, that is owned by the Newmans.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:02 pm
What is the anchor store or big draw to West Dearborn? Don’t think just a hotel between the parking structure will do. Would like to see the Dearborn theatre demo and that entire corner revamped. How about Kohls or Costco? That entire shopping area is in desperate need of a face-lift.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:38 pm
shameire: You are missing the point. services (that would be businesses) follow people. so if you have a group of people (such as a hotel) that draws businesses there to support them. the hotel would be a catalyst. same thing having people move into downtown apartments would do. the businesses don’t just show up hoping people will come. if there is a people base (and a hotel would do that) you could spark other businesses to locate to service them or at least that is the vision.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:42 pm
In other news, Salad Wrappers re-opened today.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:02 pm
You should see a Coming Soon for CIAO this week in front of the old Tenny Street Roadhouse.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:10 pm
I thought I heard that Costco or Sam’s was coming to that Telegraph/Michigan Ave intersection. I want to say it was on here but maybe it was in a dream.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Sonic offers very good fast food with wait staff on rollerskates. The only thing better would have been an In and Out Burger, but I’m glad at least Sonic is finally locating to Dearborn.
March 1st, 2010 at 1:41 pm
No new word on a Costco?
March 1st, 2010 at 3:00 pm
Costco said a long time ago that they were not interested in this site or any other site in Dearborn. Mayor Guido didn’t think that Kohl’s was good enough for this area.
March 1st, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Donna you seem to have an answer for everything — how about something optimistic for a change.
March 1st, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Sonic! That is awesome. In fact, it may be enough to change some answers on my current poll: http://www.networkdearborn.com/polls.html
🙂
March 1st, 2010 at 6:22 pm
please stop with kohls!!!!!!…god Id rather see a big lots than frickin kohls!…Von Maur is a step up
March 1st, 2010 at 9:20 pm
What’s the big deal with Sonic? I had a hamburger there the other day and it was just a typical fast food, Checker’s-like hamburger. My God, I think we’ve reached a point where we flock to anything shiny and twinkly like a bunch of ravens. And why would you want to sit in a parking lot and eat in your car anyway? Is it comfortable? No……Convenient? Not really. Detrimental to your car’s interior? If you have kids, absolutely. Nostaligic? I don’t know. If you’ve been eating that kind of food long enough to remember when there were drive-ins all over the place, you’re probably dead by now or at least smart enough not to eat that stuff.
Ooooo, look! A new chain of hamburger places!!! We need one or we’re Palookaville!
March 1st, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Too bad about Cost-co and the fact that Dearborn’s commercial sector is too F’ed up for Cost-co to want to locate here, shows the kind of change we need in our government.
March 1st, 2010 at 10:38 pm
How about trying to get Hampton Inn to build inbetween the two VACANT parking structures? Seems like a great location that would put alot of foot traffic in the strugling downtown area. If I were the Hampton and going to build in the area, I would love to have that location. Makes too much sense though! So it wont happen.
March 1st, 2010 at 11:00 pm
Big Dog: take it easy. city does not want to allow a hotel the size of the Hampton to locate between the two decks. Not enough density, which means not enough tax revenue, which means the decks can’t be paid off.
Also remember a judge ordered that Burton has to begin building in April the project they planned between those two decks. hold your breath.
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:59 am
Daly’s, you said a mouthful. You crack me up. Yes I am not too interested in sitting in my car with food splashing into my lap. And looking out the windshield at what? Big Dog , great idea about that ‘tween space. Yes it makes too much sense. How about building some student housing LOL.
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Puppydog. The city was talking about one of the two towers being that of a hotel. Why not the Hampton Inn. They have been here, sending their guest to the downtown area, paying taxes to the city. How about the city show alittle loyalty to them and see if they might be interested in that area first?
Student housing!?!
Nothing against housing students, but not in that location. Who stays in dorms? Students usually under 21. The city has a downtown area that is mostly set for the 21 and up. Thats right! A dorm or student housing will do nothing for all the bars that the city has let open in the area.
A hotel and apts. or condoes is what that location needs.
And if there was a hotel there and someone coming to stay in Dearborn did a little reserch before booking their stay, they would choose that loceation over the Hyatt, Ritz, or any other hotel where must get in their car to drive dinner or night spots. That area is perfect walking distance to it all.
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:42 pm
Sonic is fantastic “Daly’s” obviously you’re new. And you must be joking about the student housing thing, for what college? HF success? UofM dbn & HF success you’d still be commuting to.
March 4th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Sounds great that we will b getting a Sonic’s in Dearborn. I’m guessing with our insane city goverment we will have to pump quarters in the parking meters as we sit in our car and eat. Or maybe the girls on rollerskates will do it for us!
March 4th, 2010 at 1:16 pm
Good thing its a private lot.
March 4th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Our City fathers are presently working with their quarter changers in hand, so be ready, as they already are — Sonic will rock in Dearborn, as long as they have a hallal menu.
March 4th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
I can live without a Sonic. There is nothing to write home about their food or service. What is going on at Michigan Ave. and Bailey? There are two half-finished buildings yet no one seems to know what the status of either building. And no, without other businesses to support them, West Dearborn will not see a Kohls or a Von Maur.
March 4th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
No joke about student housing in that local. Heard it from one of the horses mouths that could be a location taken into consideration. Sounds like a joke though, doen’t it?