‘The Well’ Coming to Dearborn This Summer
The Well is a hit in Detroit.
Dearbornites will have a new watering hole to visit this summer when a new bar called The Well opens in the West Village Commons development on Michigan Avenue.
The Well’s co-Owner Ross Varacalli, a Dearborn resident, said the new bar (next to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the West Village Commons) should be open by July or at least by Dearborn’s Homecoming celebration in August. If The Well in Dearborn is anything like the one Varacalli and his partners operate in Detroit, it should be a hit in Dearborn.
The Detroit location of The Well, 1228 Randolph St., has a traditional British pub feel and has a laid-back atmosphere. It opened in 1997 and Varacalli and his team have owned it for the last four years. With its wood-paneled walls and dartboard, The Well in Detroit draws a student-heavy clientele from Wayne State University and the University of Detroit. Varacalli said the feel and look of The Well in Detroit will be carried over to the Dearborn location.
If student housing ever comes to Dearborn between the two parking decks, as is seriously being discussed by city officials and the University of Michigan-Dearborn, The Well would benefit, as would other businesses in the area.
Why Dearborn for The Well?
“We chose Dearborn because of my ties to Dearborn,” said Varacalli, a former bartender at the Double Olive bar in Dearborn. “I think there still is a market for a bar here. People want a fresh place to go in Dearborn and we can offer it. We have a good reputation with our bar in Detroit and we plan to continue that here in Dearborn.”
Separately, cigar aficionados could soon have a new place to buy and smoke cigars. A vacant building along Michigan Avenue could soon be replaced with a new cigar bar. Plans still are preliminary but the cigar bar could occupy one of the vacant buildings located between Monroe and Mason along Michigan Avenue. We will have more on this as plans materialize.
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Another bar. Brilliant. Why not a couple more restaurants why we are at it??/ Foot traffic and diversification will make the area work, not same old same old
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Great to see any new business! The well downtown detroit is cool and his bands!
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:06 pm
EVERYONE will go to the WELL and to the new cigar bar. We need these places to go to. I can’t wait, and many of our friends will also be there!! New blood in the area is great news!! Congratulations Dearborn!!!
April 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
Saturation has never been good for a business district!
April 26th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Neither are empty buildings.
April 26th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
I really would not prefer to have another bar, but I welcome them to our City. What we don’t need is another vacant spot, so I wish them all the luck in the world and hope they have found a niche in Dearborn.
April 26th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Sally your right and I too wish them luck. I was pointing out the comment. It is just frustrating that we have so little of anything else. Diners will shop and stroll after dinner, but drinker are there for the drinking/goodtime (nothing wrong with that) but won’t support retail. Retail is what we need for a good mix. Sorry I’m just rambling.
April 27th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Congratulations Ross ! And thankyou for trying to bring some life back to our neighborhood. Even though we will continue to have to support those stupid parking decks, at least we won’t be running back to the car to pump in quarters. the article doen’t say if you will have food, but were hoping you do.
The Olive was never better than when you and the best crew ever worked there, were thrilled to have you back in town !
See you soon !