Dearborn Sonic Burger Project on the Bubble
Hampton Inn Renamed Dearborn West Village Inn
Plans to build a Sonic burger at the corner of Michigan and Telegraph by summer’s end likely will not happen this year, according to the city’s economic development department.
It appears there are a collection of reasons Sonic will not go into the site this year. One condition was that the vacant Dearborn Theater (aka Showcase Cinema) had to be razed to give the Sonic site more visibility.
The theater has since been razed and cleanup is nearly complete but it apparently wasn’t fast enough. The Sonic project is now on the bubble, which might not be all bad for Dearborn. Perhaps another fast food establishment on a prime piece of real estate isn’t the right thing for Dearborn.
On the site of the now demolished theater, a new Hampton Inn motel still is expected to be built. Developer Ned Hakim, who has his hands full getting his Holiday Inn Express readied for travelers just west of the vacant site, is the developer for the proposed Hampton Inn.
As we have written here several times, the current Hampton Inn, just east of Brady on Michigan Avenue, was forced to make a name chance because the motel’s owner did not want to make the necessary remodeling changes to keep the Hampton Inn franchise license.
So the Hampton Inn has now been renamed the Dearborn West Village Inn.
August 21st, 2010 at 1:21 pm
No big surprise here – on Sonic site for upcoming locations it never listed Dearborn.
August 21st, 2010 at 3:23 pm
I am not surprised by the inactivity around Sonic. I personally don’t see it as a big plus. While something is better than nothing; I would want the right fit for some thing rather than have Sonic gone in six months. As for the “new” Dearborn West Village Inn, I am disappointed that there is no longer a major hotel chain located there. I can’t help but think that the place is run by gypsies. What great changes were required that the owner couldn’t comply with? Sorry Dearborn, these are not steps in the right correction.
August 21st, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Ned Hakim didn’t finish the hotel down the street. Why would Dearborn allow him to start another one?
August 21st, 2010 at 9:40 pm
What are they going to build on the demolished showcase cinemas site?
August 23rd, 2010 at 4:40 am
after months of reading articles, comments, and facebook pages concerning the development of dearborn in recent years i have come to yet another conclusion…our chamber of commerce and it’s president are a joke…they promote nothing but regionalization…and even show upp at a new business in the west side to tell them congratulations, and when leaving whisper to the owner that they will be back to collect…he then had to ask what he joined…seriously…is this detroit…?
August 23rd, 2010 at 7:50 am
What is going to happen to the little hotel-motel next door to Westborn Market? That has been ‘closed for remodeling’ for a looooong time……..
Why is the roadside signage for Aco painted over? Please, please, please tell me Aco is not closing-moving!!!!
August 23rd, 2010 at 8:58 am
The Chamber of Commerce has never cared about small business in Dearborn.
Other Chamber of Commerce actually promote their areas.
Dearborn is stuck in a bubble of fantasy. For years, we thought that we were the top of the region. Many business were deemed unsuitable for the “Master Plan”. The residents and city officials were oblivious to what was happening in the communities around them. Now those communities are growing and expanding their business areas while we stay dormant.
It is time to take off the rose-colored glasses and really take a good look around us and see how we can get out of this mess.
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:12 am
I disagree, I think Sonic would do well at that spot. Hopefully this will eventually happen.
August 23rd, 2010 at 12:32 pm
This is getting rediculus!! Why are we letting these under capitalized Gypsies develope here any more? Isn’t there enough unfinished buildings here yet? Who cares about Sonic anyway. Their food is garbage. Let’s get rid of the paid parking so that people will want to come to West Villiage, then we can talk about developing the area with the people that have enough money to finish something.
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Larry – The city will never get rid of paid parking. They will not take the blame for the biggest mistake ever. The previous administration told the businesses that if they didn’t like it, the could leave. They did.
Paid parking, greedy landlords and developers (the major one in the city being one and the same) have caused this district to die while other cities are growing.
August 23rd, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Spago you are now taalking about facts. Gehring only knows about collecting for the Chamber, and nothing else, because she wants her salary covered. They however, do nothing to earn it, other that have their pictures taken at the ribbon cutting ceremonie. They are a bunch of phonies.
August 23rd, 2010 at 5:02 pm
“The city will never get rid of paid parking. They will not take the blame for the biggest mistake ever.”
So, Chloe, does this mean that when the issue was on the ballot, you voted, and encouraged all your friends and relative to vote for the residents to bear the expense of the parking lot maintenance and structures? Or did you just check the “I don’t wanna pay for it, let’s make someone, anyone else pay for it and then blame ‘the city’ when nobody likes paying for it” box? Did you encourage local business owners to support a special assessment tax to pay for it? What was YOUR plan to pay for it? Too bad we can’t levy a special tax on whining. We would have had that stuff paid for a long time ago and we’d be living in Shangrilah right now.
August 23rd, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Spag80 & Cloe,
I agree with you about the Chamber President. I think she uses the organization as her source to find Mr. Right.
August 23rd, 2010 at 6:57 pm
Cloe & Spag80,
You are so right about our Chamber President. Why did she back some young inexperienced kid for City Council? I heard it was because she was dating someone in his family. She even threw a party at her home trying to get the kid elected. Luckily, Dearborn was wise enough to not drink her Kool-aide.
August 23rd, 2010 at 7:40 pm
As far as ACO is concerned it is no longer a hardware store. Cereal, Sanders fudge, and everything but hardware. I suspect less than half of the items in the store are hardware. I quit going there a long time ago. I was wasting time and fuel expecting a hardware store to stock hardware items. Maybe Krogers can expand their household items and both stores can compete for the same customers.
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Paid parking is not the problem. If you’re too cheap to pay a dollar to park in West Dearborn for a couple of hours, then you’re going to complain no matter what the cost.
The problem is the economy and the lack of spending. Until that picks up, new business are going to suffer. Established business seem to be holding their own.
Also, there is more to Dearborn than downtown West Dearborn. I was driving by Pelham and Crowley the other day and noticed a deli that must be new, because I haven’t seen it before called ‘What’s Up Dawg Deli”. lol, whatever works I guess. Haven’t tried it yet, though.
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Spag: Well yeah what do u expect the Dearborn CC has some silly “oh my gosh i just broke a nail, oh my gosh my hair” young girl as their president.
August 24th, 2010 at 1:22 am
I’d prefer a Chick-Fil-A.
August 24th, 2010 at 9:42 am
I got carryout from Cedars Coney last night, and asked Sam about the construction in front of the building – outdoor seating! And what do you know, no preferred developer in sight.
I know I sound like a broken record, but this is the type of organic development that has proven a success on Warren Ave and will eventually be the backbone of the West End redevelopment. When there is demand for something – like a nice place to sit and enjoy coffee or a meal – someone will see if they can make some money and decide to invest – even Norm Newman.
I’m sure Hakim is fulminating over the Emagine construction in Royal Oak, but if the Dearborn business climate is improved so that there are more Cedars and Bigbees and maybe some retail – the Emagines will come on their own, without the taxpayer subsidy.
P.S. Sonic Burger is a silly retro fad. Let’s try to get a Five Guys.
August 24th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Huh? – The businesses always paid for the special parking assessment. They did it to keep their customers. It was either paid by the building owners or shared among the tenants of the buildings.
Chest Rockwell – It is not the amount that you pay for parking. I agree that it is a fair price. The problems are 1. Woman do not like parking in parking garages and 2. The parking enforcement give you a ticket if you a fraction late. They drive those lots to make sure that the fines cover their salaries and the purchase of the trucks that they are driving.
August 24th, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Huh?
Who should pay for the parking structures? The company who was building the development. We did NOT need those 2 garages behind ‘Jacobsons’ until they decided to redevelop the area with retail, offices and a hotel (where are those offices and the hotel?). (Jacobson’s, Prices, Post Office did just fine with free parking.) Parking should have been THEIR cost, not ours. If I was to open a business the City would require ME to have enough parking for my customers. They would NOT build it for me. Why is this any different? I don’t want my City in the real estate business. I saw the miliions and millions they lost when the purchased the Montgomery Wards building and sold it for a fraction of what they paid for it.
August 24th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
tdogg – OH MY GOD! A Five Guys! I’d weigh eleventy-bazillion pounds if there was one in Dearborn. It’s just a burger, but it is SO good! Makes Miller’s seem like the cattle feed that it really is!
August 25th, 2010 at 10:45 pm
i personally would love to see slows expand into the old post office…what a perfect location for them…i would also love to see a place that provided music or comedy…(the old post office did that when it was the road house)
August 26th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Spago80 – Are you talking about the Slows on Michigan Ave and Trumbull? That is a great place – the best pulled pork around.
Maybe, someone from the Chamber of Commerce could go and talk to them if they aren’t too busy.
August 26th, 2010 at 1:52 pm
I don’t think Slows would be interested in Dearborn. They’re already expanding with a take-out place in Midtown. It’s a nice thought though.
August 26th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
You guys are a bunch of whiners. Never happy with anything unless it’s a bunch of mom and pop candle stores. Get a clue people. Those sorts of businesses are not practical and don’t make much money. I wish you people would all move out of Dearborn.
August 26th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
“That place is so busy, nobody goes there anymore.” Yogi Berra
Slows would be a perfect fit in the old Tenny St Rdhse. Roomy, lots of space for lots of patrons, ok parking. All the things that the current location doesn’t have (you have to go to lunch at 11am to get a table).
Here’s the thing – some really sharp business folks – not the CoC for gosh sakes – should see if the good people of Slows would consider something like a franchise and take a risk that they can bring the product, lock stock & barrel, to Newmantown.
Now, what about Five Guys?
August 27th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
I remember reading on this site that Ciao was suppose to move into the old post office/Tenny St. roadhouse? what happened to that?
Yummy – Slows and/or Five Guys! Both great ideas! I still think (with MANY others) that Trader Joes would aslo be great in the old Inca/Pier One building.
I do love Dearborn, but have strong doubts about the Chamber of Commerce & Mayor and their sense of doing more than what is required of them.
August 28th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
Hopeful hits on many of my sentiments exactly. I don’t know what is going on in the mayor’s office and I certainly have a great less of an idea of what goes on in the Chamber. What I do know is that I am not seeing much of anything in terms of economic development in west Dearborn. The mayor’s office is doing its best in muddling through things and the Chamber is nowhere to be seen. Much of the economic inactivity may be in part to the economy but since O Reilly has come to office, I haven’t heard much of what the plans are for west Dearborn. I have yet to hear of anything from this committee/task force that was created (many, if not all, of the members are O Reilly stooges) to examine the future direction of Dearborn. I suspect it is another attempt at smoke and mirrors to appease folks into thinking something is being done to sustain (or yet to create) Dearborn’s future.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:38 am
Remember the promises he made at State Of The City address, earlier in the year. Most of the promises that were made, were simply pipedreams, as usual for him and his cronies. Why don’t the people hold him more accountable — my guess is they are frustrated with the BIG MAN.
September 16th, 2010 at 9:42 am
tdogg, loved that quip from Yogi Berra.
Visit the 50’s McDonald’s on S. Telegraph in S. Dearborn Heights on Fridays and Saturday nights when tons of wonderful classic muscle cars and patrons come there. The place is packed to the hilt, even in winter. It also has 2 large outdoor picnic type tables outside with an area people hang out in. Then the muscle car owners sit in their own chairs behind or near their cars that are backed in. The 50’s McDonald’s allows all of this and it brings a ton of business there. On any given weeknight, when business is usually slow, there are still people hanging out and spending their money there. The key here is that it is also a social center where people want to go and hang out.
If Dearborn could induce some type of restaurant like even an A&W, Sonic or any type of fast food restaurant in the Michigan-Telegraph area that offers better food than McDonald’s and allows customers and these muscle car owners the same freedom to park their cars and hang out, this type of fast food restaurant stands a good chance of being successful. I personally know of many 50’s McDonald’s customers that would hang out there far more than they do at that McDonald’s.