A long-time historic bar in Detroit is now under new ownership by a local restaurant group that has breathed new air into several other historic establishments in the city. Third Street Bar, a beloved watering hole in the Cass Corridor that closed last September has reopened under the new ownership by the Detroit Optimist Society. The news has been covered by several other outlets.
Located at 4626 Third and West Forest in Midtown, Third Street Bar was known for its karaoke, bar games, and a lovely rustic vibe on the inside. The bar also has a full kitchen that was once occupied by popular vegan concept Street Beet. Reopened last weekend, the new Third Street Bar has brought back the fan-favorite bar games with a new stage on the large patio for more entertainment options. Meanwhile, the kitchen will now host a rotating lineup of food trucks and other concepts, according to The Detroit News.
Founded by Dave Kwiatkowski, Detroit Optimist Society is not new to transforming historic bars in Detroit into new hotspots. The restaurant group also oversees cocktail lounge the Sugar House in Corktown, Wright & Company restaurant downtown, casual concept Honest John’s and several other bars around the city.
Along with Kwiatkowski, Detroirt Society’s Marc Djozlija and Joaquin De La Cerda are also partners at the new Third Street. The new owners also plan to extend the bar’s hours of operation slowly over the next few weeks and eventually open till 2 a.m. every day.
“We’re not doing elevated cocktails, we’re doing sort of blender drinks and fun stuff,” Kwaitkowski said. “We’re just kind of trying to create a really fun bar that has been well-loved by the college kids and people that work in that area, so we hope to get that back. We’re not changing a lot, it’s pretty much the same on the inside,” Kwiatkowski told The Detroit News.
