A long-vacant building along the Main Street corridor in downtown Royal Oak will soon be alive with SoBe energy.
The two-story, mixed-use structure at 505 S. Main St. is undergoing a six-figure transformation and will soon reemerge as a restaurant/bar dubbed Miami.
The spirit of palm trees, pink flamingoes and beach sand will imbue the watering hole, which is slated to open later this year with a rooftop terrace.
“We just want to do a bar and restaurant, like a lounge type of vibe, and base it off Miami cuisine,” owner Jazmine Gillette said. “Not like partying or anything, but give people an out-of-town feel.”
Gillette is a Detroit entrepreneur who, for the past 10 years, has co-owned a beauty supply boutique with locations in the Motor City and Eastpointe. Three years ago, she partnered with owners of TakeOut Hookah, a hookah café at 1400 Gratiot Ave. on Detroit’s east side.
Miami represents Gillette’s first foray into the restaurant industry. She’s joined forces with Steven Yharbrough, a seasoned vet with over 20 years under his belt as a cook and bar manager in Michigan and Arizona. Yharbrough will serve as the general manager running day-to-day operations alongside Gillette, according to site plans.
In May 2021, Gillette signed a five-year agreement to lease the 8,900 square-foot space from Main & Fifth Ventures, a West Bloomfield venture capitalist company. Royal Oak city records indicate she’s investing $310,000 to renovate, furnish and buy equipment and fixtures for the restaurant. She’ll be spending another $40,000 on inventory and will pay $31,000 each month to lease the space.
Police Chief Michael Moore presented an overview of the proposed plan of operation to city commissioners during an Aug. 8 public hearing. Commissioners unanimously approved the business’ proposal.
According to the plan, Miami will serve American fare with a menu of hot & cold appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, wings, chicken strips, specialty tacos, fries, onion rings, pasta, fish, lamb chops and flatbread pizza.
It will have 280 indoor seats with bars on the first and second floors. An outdoor bar is planned for the 900 sq.-ft. seasonal terrace on the rooftop overlooking 5th Street. It will have 11 tables with seating for 44 patrons.
It was not clear when the bar will open, Gillette could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.
