Small Business

Sava-style tapas coming to E. Washington storefront

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Arts & Culture
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March 6, 2013

Considering the rush of new restaurants opening in Downtown Ann Arbor, it may seem that there's one of every genre to choose from now. Not yet, says foodie entrepreneur Sava Lelcaj. "We just don't have anything around here that is true tapas style," says Lelcaj. "We have Isalita, but I'm thinking more Mediterranean or European-style. Those are my roots, and I felt that was really good move for us right now."  Lelcaj is currently working to remedy that void, as she develops her newest venture, a yet-unnamed tapas restaurant on E. Washington. While she has been quietly planning the eatery for some time, having recently purchased the building at 216 E. Washington, the pending departure of the Mahek Indian restaurant next door has allowed the owner of Sava's and babo market to triple the size of her vision.  "It's actually three narrow buildings coming together to make this project happen," Lelcaj says. "It's one of the most beautiful streets in town. There is all of this beautiful architecture here."  The combined 6,000 square foot space will include between 200 to 250 seats between open dining and private rooms, as well as a basement kitchen and upstairs offices.  Many of the details, including the name, décor and menu items are still under consideration, and Lelcaj says a research trip to Spain this summer will help inform some of those decisions. One menu items she does anticipate serving is the flaming Greek cheese appetizer, saganaki. "My brother said that if you're going to do a Mediterranean restaurant you have to do saganaki," says Lelcaj. "We like to have fun, and that's one menu idea we're excited about that is more tongue in cheek." Lelcaj plans to open the restaurant this coming falls. She anticipates hiring a staff of 50 to 60 employees.   Source: Sava Lelcaj, babo market Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

Latest in Small Business
New Chelsea BBQ joint ramps up staff by a third in its first week
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Arts & Culture
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February 27, 2013

It was one year to the day from Phil Tolliver's first tour of the Main Street location in Chelsea to the opening of the doors of his new barbeque restaurant, Smokehouse 52. Between Feb. 20 of 2012 and 2013, Tolliver poured his heart, soul and a lot of elbow grease into the 4,700 square foot space.  "The building was happy to be refurbished and come back to its beautiful glory," says Tolliver. "I think I've raided every barn in the area for wood." Tolliver and his family did the renovations of the 1890s building themselves, using reclaimed barn wood from local farms. In addition to preparing the physical space for Smokehouse 52, Tolliver sought out famed barbecue pitmaster Mike "The Legend" Mills to teach him the tricks of the trade.  "Our recipe is different than his but I wanted to learn his process," Tolliver says. "I lived out of a hotel for awhile and learned everything they do." The long year of preparation appears to have all been worth it, as Tolliver's biggest issue when opening the 74-seat restaurant last week was lines of patrons out the door and not enough staff. Smokehouse 52 opened with a staff of 43, Tolliver says, but that number increased to 60 within a week.  Tolliver, who formerly owned Chelsea's True North Jerky, says his goals for the restaurant include becoming a contributing member of the community. Even before Smokehouse 52's official opening, the restaurant held a fundraising dinner for the non-profit Faith in Action. Tolliver plans to continue to support local organizations in the future, as well as gain a reputation for serving excellent food. "It's real barbecue and it's real hospitality," he says. "We're a simple, family friendly place, and you can come here and just enjoy."  Source: Phil Tolliver, Smokehouse 52 Writer: Natalie Burg

Cafe Zola owners to open new Washtenaw Ave bistro in August
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Arts & Culture
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February 20, 2013

For the many devotees of Downtown Ann Arbor's Café Zola, the only answer to "What's better than Zola?" is, "more Zola." That wish will soon be coming true, as a new restaurant by Café Zola owners Hediye Batu and Alan Zakalik is coming to the Arbor Hills Crossing development now underway on Washtenaw Avenue.  "It will be a lot like Café Zola," says Zakalik. "We're still trying to work it out, but 'Zola' will be in the name."  The idea for a second location was triggered when the developers approached Zakalik and Batu. After reviewing the other businesses planned for the retail and dining center, they decided a new Zola would fit right in. "I was worried for awhile about opening a second restaurant that was too similar to what we do here," Zakalik says, "but the development is far enough from downtown that it shouldn't impact us. It will give us a different base of people who don’t usually come downtown on a regular basis." Zakalik expects the Arbor Hills Crossing location to be ready for the new Zola to begin their build-out in late April, and the restaurant to open by Aug. 22. The restaurant will be 10 to 15 percent larger than the downtown location with a bigger bar, indoor seating for 130 and patio seating for about 40 diners. Zakalik expects to hire a staff of approximately 50 to operate the new bistro.  Source: Alan Zakalik, Cafe Zola Writer: Natalie Burg

Blue Wolf Grill brings locally-sourced fare to former Taco Bell
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Arts & Culture
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February 20, 2013

With the many challenges that face any new restaurant, Blue Wolf Grill co-owner Charles Molina knew one thing wouldn't be a problem with his new Washtenaw Avenue restaurant.  "No one has trouble finding us," he says. "You tell everybody you're in the old Taco Bell, and they know what that means. That building is iconic." While the building may still resemble the well-known fast food restaurant, everything else about the Blue Wolf Grill is entirely different. The 1,400 square foot restaurant has a focus on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, such as cherries from Traverse City, whitefish from the Great Lakes and coffee from Cadillac.  "The food is American new," says Molina. "It has a lot of different influences, like comfort food, and there is some Asian influence too."  Molina and his girlfriend Cheri Jackson aren't newcomers to the food business or the neighborhood. Their We Cater To U catering company is right on the other side of Washtenaw from the Blue Wolf Grill. And, according to Molina, the rush of new restaurants popping up along the busy avenue has only endeared them to the location even more.  "We welcome it," he says. "The strip between Hewitt and Golfside has been dead for awhile. We look at it as, the more businesses that are here, the more traffic, and the more potential customers who can try our food." The Blue Wolf Grill opened in mid-December with a staff of 12, and Molina says business is already doing quite well. He has plans to create an outdoor patio to supplement his indoor seating for 34 diners, including landscaping to shelter outdoor diners from Washtenaw traffic.  Source: Charles Molina, Blue Wolf Grill Writer: Natalie Burg

Family owned Pho House to open on Washtenaw in March
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Arts & Culture
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February 20, 2013

The Inhmathong Family knows Ypsilanti, as well as the restaurant business. The local Laotian family behind the upcoming Pho House restaurant on Washtenaw has been operating restaurants for 20 years.  "Our family landed in Ypsilanti as refugees from the Vietnam War," says Wendy Inhmathong-Travis. "For my brother and me, we practically grew up in Ypsi. It's our home now. We want to take part in making Ypsi better." Their latest contribution to that effort will be Pho House, a Vietnamese Restaurant serving noodle and grill cuisine in the former Fat Philly's and Burgers building on the corner of Hewitt and Washtenaw Avenue.  The Inhmathong family is currently working to renovate the space, which is truly a family endeavor.  "The restaurant is owned by my little brother, Jurney," Inhmathong-Travis says. "This is his first time in running a business. We're helping him, [his] mom, dad, and sis." Inhmathong-Travis hopes to have the Pho House ready to open to the public in March. Initially, the restaurant will employ eight members of the family, and Inhmathong-Travis expects they will expand their staffing as the business grows.  Source: Wendy Inhmathong-Travis, Pho House Writer: Natalie Burg

U-M campus gets its first walkable nail salon with Polished
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Development News
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February 20, 2013

Identifying a problem and creating a solution is the core of entrepreneurship, and that's exactly what Bloomfield Hills resident and University of Michigan mom Connie Howard did with her new campus-area nail salon, Polished.  With two daughters at UM, Howard heard a common complaint from her girls and their friends: there were no nail salons within walking distance of campus. Though not a nail technician herself, the former makeup artist and employee of a plastic surgeon knew enough about the beauty business to take the leap.  "It really sets us apart from everyone because we are the only nail salon near campus," says Howard. "We try to keep the student prices so they're affordable, and we have really good nail techs." Polished opened in early February after three months of renovation to the 850 square foot space. Those renovations include something else Howard says helps hers stand out from other area salons. A state of the art ventilation system prevents the business from smelling like salon fumes.  Howard currently employs six nail technicians at her S. University location, and offers both manicure and pedicure services.  Source: Connie Howard, Polished Writer, Natalie Burg

The Lunch Room to put down roots in 1,100 sq ft Kerrytown space
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Arts & Culture
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February 13, 2013

One of Ann Arbor's most popular food carts has announced plans to make downtown a more permanent home. In three years, The Lunch Room has transitioned from pop-up restaurant to food cart in Mark's Carts, and beginning in June, into a Kerrytown restaurant.  "I'm hoping we'll add a burst of excitement and cooperation and that will fill a niche that isn't being filled," says Phillis Engelbert, who owns The Lunch Room along with her partner, Joel Panozzo. "There is no other establishment in Kerrytown that is open for dinner hours right now."  The 1,128 square foot restaurant at the Kerrytown Market and Shops will be a significant jump from the 60 square foot food cart, and Engelbert says the expansion will have a big impact on The Lunch Room's menu. "Our hands will be untied by the restrictions we had in the cart," she says. "We couldn't cook things to order in the cart. Now we'll be flipping flapjacks on the griddle and fixing things to order."  The extra room will also allow them to add breakfast and Saturday and Sunday brunches to their menu. Though The Lunch Room is a vegan food cart, Engelbert and Panozzo pride themselves on finding innovative ways to create vegan versions of traditionally non-vegan dishes, such as burgers, tacos, mac and cheese, and reubens. The partners chose the Kerrytown location for its proximity to their former location, hoping to make an easy transition for their customers. "And we wanted to be in downtown Ann Arbor, and that's kind of where the action is," says Engelbert. "We like the concept of Kerrytown because there is a community here, and we're right next to the farmers market, so we can get our fresh produce right there."  Source: Phillis Engelbert, The Lunch Room Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

Grizzly Peak to pay homage to original Old German with new bar
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Arts & Culture
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February 13, 2013

Fans of basement bars, German beer and Ann Arbor nostalgia will all have something to love in Grizzly Peak's forthcoming Old German bar below the existing restaurant and brewery on W. Washington in Downtown Ann Arbor.  "The owners are always attempting to bring new energy to their restaurants," says Vice President of Operations for Grizzly Peak, Scott Joling. "They're always thinking, 'What can we do next?' They don't like to stay quiet for too long." The Old German will pay homage to the restaurant by the same name that operated in the Grizzly Peak space nearly 20 years ago, but will differ from the original business significantly. The 1,500 square foot bar, formerly used as storage space, will feature a German aesthetic with lots of wood trim and serving tanks of beer behind the bar, as well as a limited number of German food items. The real focus, however, will be the German beer.  "We focus on ale up here [at Grizzly Peak], but there will be more of a focus on lagers down there," Joling says. "We've just doubled our brewing capacity." Joling hopes to see the Old German ready for an opening in 60 to 90 days. Joling is working on plans to create a possible dedicated entrance for the bar now, and expects to hire an additional 12 employee to staff the bar.  Source: Scott Joling, Grizzly Peak Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

El Harissa Market Cafe to bring North African hangout to Maple
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Arts & Culture
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February 13, 2013

When El Harissa Market Café opens on N. Maple in March, owners Khaled Houamed and Susan Thomas plan for it to be more than just a North African grocery market, and more than a Tunisian café.  "It's going to be sort of a gourmet space and a creative space," says Houamed. "We want to be a hangout space. I want people to come here and drink Arabic Coffee and drink mint tea. Our aim is to have people come and sit and talk to us." And not just those who already know and love North African cuisine. The couple hopes to attract a wide demographic of local patrons and introduce them to Tunisian food. The 2,200 square foot business is sure to be as unique as its owners. Opening El Harissa is a significant career change for Houamed, a former professor of pharmacology at the University of Chicago and University of Michigan and Thomas, a former schoolteacher. With their son off to college and their daughter is soon to follow, they decided it was the perfect time to pursue their dream.  "We talked about this for so long and we decided it was now or never," says Thomas. "We're ready to put our heart and soul into it." Houamed will be bringing the culture from his home country of Tunisia to El Harissa, including the knowledge of olives he acquired from his long family history in olive farming, and an appreciation for those who will produce all of their North African specialty foods.  "We're trying to connect with small farmers in North Africa," he says. "We want to enhance our relationship with the farmers."  In addition to the specialty grocery items, El Harissa will serve a variety of prepared foods for dine-in customers, including homemade soups, ice cream in the summer, and plenty of foods with the popular Tunisian hot sauce called el harissa. Thomas and Houamed plan to open with four to five employees and hope to eventually add catering and delivery services. Source: Khaled Houamed and Susan Thomas Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

what crepe? to bring French rustic, 50 jobs to downtown Ann Arbor
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February 6, 2013

Downtown diners in search of something new certainly have options in the Liberty area with a rush of new restaurants opening over the past few months. According to what crepe? manager Dennis Williams, however, the forthcoming creperie will have no problem standing out from the pack.  "[What crepe?] fits here," he says. "The crepe itself is traditional, but what we're doing with it is kind of unique. That's what Ann Arbor is; it's traditional, but it's unique." The former location of Squares Restaurant has been undergoing some serious renovations over the last four months, bringing what Williams calls a "Euro-sexy" feel to the third what crepe? that differentiates it from the first two restaurants. "We've got the chandeliers and the warm colors here, and the wood makes it French-rustic," he says. "If you look at the Royal Oak location, it looks more like Parisian living room. In Birmingham it's like downtown Paris." As for food, Williams says the classic French crepes will come with a variety unusual fillings, making the classy-meets-casual restaurant appropriate for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  "It's that classic crepe, but [owner Paul Jenkins] asked, 'Why can't you have chicken or steak or salmon inside a crepe? Why can't you think outside the crepe?'" The new restaurant will open with 50 employees. While Williams says an opening date is uncertain at this time, he expects to start serving guests in mid-February. "We don't have a date just yet," he says. "We'll shout it to the heavens when it's time." Source: Dennis Williams, what crepe?Writer: Natalie Burg, Development News Editor

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