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Park Avenue
We all love to rep Detroit, even all you sheltered suburbanites out there can't help but do it … especially when in another state/country. But realistically, how many times have you wandered out of your comfort zone, off of Woodward Ave., to roam around The D?
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Nestled just behind the Fox Theatre is a blossoming little street called Park Avenue — yes, like the car. If you head back that way, you’ll be sure to discover some of the city’s hidden wonders.
I’ve been down to Park Ave. before, but never fully explored the area, so I headed to Detroit with my pen and my camera. I scored some two-dollar parking in a garage on Montcalm and walked half a block to Park Ave. The first establishments to greet me on my walk were the beautifully chic Centaur Bar, the classic and cozy Town Pump and the “interesting” Park Avenue Hotel. The businesses, all owned by local entrepreneur Sean Harrington, emit a Chicago-like vibe, with vines crawling up the old brick buildings.
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The Town Pump is a Park Avenue veteran, having been established in 1996. It has become a popular spot to grab a bite, a drink and watch a game. Just across the street, Centaur Bar occupies what used to be the Iodent toothpaste factory. Specializing in martinis, the place woos their customers by offering $5 martinis at happy hour. Centaur was recently rated the number one Best Bar in metro-Detroit by Hour Detroit.
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Walking a little further down the street, I encounter the newer Park Bar, which was opened in 2006. At that time, customers had no convenient cure for their drunken munchies. To fill that void, the bar added the Bucharest Grill in 2007. Today, the bar serves as a venue for live music and is another great place to catch a game, while the grill is an affordable outlet for the drunken munchies.
I continued my walk and began to feel a bit disappointed by what I saw. Though the strip has begun to establish itself as a trendy D-Town hangout in the past few years, the street is still filled with some typical eyesores — broken glass, abandoned buildings and semi-creepy looking alleyways. Give it time, however, and this may all be gone. Right, Mr. Illitch?
Nearly every building on the street is undergoing construction or renovations. Paper signs posted on each building hold promises of banquet halls, retail space, lofts/apartments and restaurants to the area. The Detroit Life building is being renovated to create offices for Illitch-related companies and there’s buzz about retail spaces on the ground floor as well.
Before rounding the corner, we’re greeted by the old-school, uber-classy (but not at all pretentious) Cliff Bell’s. A bar that can truly transport time and transform mood, Cliff Bell’s has a ‘20s/’30s feel that will seduce you with its vintage vibe and cocktails. Coming up on Grand Circus Park, Shield’s (a restaurant, bar and pizzeria) has nearly finished construction on the corner of Park Avenue and Grand Circus Park and will surely round out the strip.
Park Avenue flows into Grand Circus Park. As soon as Dan Gilbert gets Quicken down there, the whole city will nearly be transformed into the bustling metropolis it deserves to be.
Skip the usual routine and hop over to Park Avenue for dinner or lunch or drinks — once arrived you’ll already be planning your return visit. | RDW
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