One of the largest sports bars in the metro market is gearing up for expansion.
Joe Kool’s was recently approved for a liquor license transfer that could pave the way for its third location at 43200 Crescent Blvd. in Novi.
The neighborhood tavern billed as a “KOOL place to go” was started by brothers Dante and Dorayd Bacall, two of the principal partners of the family-owned Bacall Companies, a West Bloomfield development firm.
In 2008, the duo opened CJ Mahoney’s Sports Grille in Troy and they owned Central Kitchen + Bar, an industrial-chic hot spot in Detroit’s Central Business District, according to Livingston Daily. They also have a portfolio of over 40 Marriott, Hilton and Holiday Inn hotels in the metro Detroit area, according to the Bacall Companies’ website.
The sports bar and grill proposed for Novi will open up in an old Friday’s outpost adjacent to the Novi Town Center. It’ll follow in the footsteps of Joe Kool’s locations already up and running in Oakland and Livingston counties. The upscale pub and grub debuted in Michigan at 1835 E. Beaver Road in Troy. In 2019, the Bacall brothers opened a second location in Green Oak Township just south of Brighton.
Joe Kool’s is a brand that traces its roots back to a 40-year-old watering hole in Ontario, Canada that goes by the same name. The Bacalls bought the business moniker and trademark in 2016, shortly after they purchased the Troy location, Livingston Daily reported in 2019.
According to the liquor license transfer approved by Novi city council members June 26, Dorayd Bacall will own Joe Kool’s third location with Wael Sallan.
The owners look to tap into the synergy of Novi’s thriving restaurant scene near the intersection of Novi Road and Grand River Avenue. They promise “an alternative location where families may enjoy good food and alcohol at competitive prices,” site plans submitted to city officials indicate.
Joe Kool’s boasts a lineup of about 30 beers on tap along with a selection of over 50 different wines to choose from.
The menu in Novi will also include an array of chicken wings, angus filet tips, bacon-wrapped shrimp, pizzas, burgers, Reuben sandwiches, club sliders and turkey wraps. Beer-battered fish and chips, perch and salmon will be among the featured seafood entrees offered while the dessert tray promises confections like deep-fried cheesecake and Joe Kool’s signature hot fudge cream puff.
There was not timetable for the opening; owners could not be reached for comment.
