More Vacancies in West Dearborn Business District
The downtown West Dearborn business deck is being shuffled again due to the closing of one longtime hair salon and a restaurant deal that is no longer going to happen.
A sign to patrons hangs in the door of Salon West.
The bad news begins with the closing of Salon West, a hair salon and spa that after 18 years in Dearborn was forced to close.
Blame the closing on the tough economy. Patrons of the salon will recall that the owner several years ago poured thousands of dollars into a major remodeling of the facility and added a spa to go along with haircuts.
Trouble is Salon West reopened when the economic slide was just beginning. Combine that with the opening of Om Spa directly across the street and you had the perfect storm. The closing is unfortunate.
Just across the street from Salon West, a vacant building that earlier in the year had signs proclaiming La Shish was reopening in it is now dead. The vacant building once housed a blues bar called George and Harry’s. The restaurant owner – the same person who owns the recently reopened La Shish at Michigan and Oakman in East Dearborn – ran into several obstacles trying to open the restaurant, including with DTE Energy and the current placement of some of its power equipment, the adjacent business owner and the city of Dearborn. In the end, he simply was unable to reach a deal with building’s owner.
October 31st, 2011 at 7:49 am
I am saddened by both. I went to Salon West and I remember when Harry Sisko opened George and Harry’s, then it turned into a kid’s place (people around the age of 20-25) then when it’s owner strangely tried to make it a country bar. I wish I knew what we could do about all these hinderances to Dearborn businesses.
October 31st, 2011 at 10:49 am
You really want to know about all these closures, then get rid of the big boy and his pack of thieves. They make it so hard to jump thru all their rings to openn up a business in this town, thats why they look elsewhere thats more accomadating, The building problems continue, and the big mouth running the show makes different rules foor certain people — get the drift.
October 31st, 2011 at 7:18 pm
It looks like a restaurant will opening in Westborn Mall….Any ideas what it is?
November 1st, 2011 at 6:29 am
Heard that it is a Coney Island and the other store is a nail salon.
November 1st, 2011 at 10:43 am
Speaking of restaurants, check out Frida’s, where Annam used to be. It’s very good and well priced.
November 1st, 2011 at 10:54 am
How sad. Just one question that I would like someone to answer. Who owns the building? If you know, please post. Thank you.
November 1st, 2011 at 12:48 pm
The latest closures in the West End are a great example of our City adminstration losing touch. Instead of helping the present occupants, the City as well as Ms. Gehring (from the Chamber) should ask if they could be of some assistance, but I was told they were never contacted — but why should that surprise anyone that’s the way the both operate.
November 1st, 2011 at 8:09 pm
pathetic…
November 3rd, 2011 at 10:53 am
I used to go to Salon West, before you had to pay to park there. Paid parking is a detriment to a salon type business, in my opinion.
November 3rd, 2011 at 9:32 pm
Vote for this tax increase and watch more business close. Why won’t the City cut the fluff like leave collection and the performing arts center? Why would I vote for the library tax when you closed the one in my back yard? The Police and Fire are already protected by the Charter so why do they need this extra tax. They are using scare factor to try to get this passed. Cut the fluff first then come back and ask for a reasonable amount. I also don’t believe the average house in Dearborn is only worth $56,000. Get real people and pull out your assessments.
November 4th, 2011 at 1:05 am
the City and Chamber are doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help the current businesses. How about some relief with the parking authority hawks and the prices? Instead they are told to ticket more and raise the prices of parking!? If you’re worried about paying for the parking decks then be creative in raising/generating money to pay for the mistake just like a normal business would. Raising prices isn’t one of the solutions. How about the city and/or chamber put together a business plan on how they will bring in new customers and how they will market the city? How about the city and/or chamber organize large, monthly West End events (for example) to drive new and old customers to stay active downtown? How about the city get some new blood, some real business people on council who have the energy, creativity, and know-how to drive a business (which the city is)? Let’s face it, business drives a city in many ways. And let’s also face it, West Dearborn has been and will probably continue to be an Entertainment District, so why not embrace it and promote it? The small businesses should be a top priority in this city, and fast. There are so many ideas, but ideas are cheap… it’s the execution that counts. The city better get off of it’s a$$ before more and more businesses close up!
November 4th, 2011 at 9:29 am
Sarah I couldn’t have said it better. The Chamber with Jennifer Gegring is always ready to help collect dues or have her picture taken at the ribbon cuttings of new businesses coming to town, but she won’t help to attract businesses or keep businesses in town as a laison with the City, in other words all show and no go. By the way that sounds like our administration. Good analogy Sarah.
November 5th, 2011 at 12:56 pm
You are right: the average home price has fallen from $139,000 to $106,000. Even so, I think the best course to take is to vote yes on proposals 1 & 2, vote no on proposal 3 (to prevent cronyism), and then really get on city officials to cut the fluff and concentrate on growing businesses here over the next few years.
November 7th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
The issues related to this latest business closing raise an eyebrow. The business owner, successful at the onset, struggled the last number of years and although the downturn in the economy was an issue, so were a number of other indirect situations. Political cronyism, parking policies that negatively impact patrons (a political pocket of “change” so-to-speak), and a new residential demographic that prefers segregated business alliances as opposed to embracing the diversity that the existing American dream has/had to offer… such a sad reality nobody dares address…..
November 7th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
Mark Lane just announced at the council meeting that Goodwill has announced that they have signed a letter of intent for the old Inca Bldg.