Traverse City News and Events

New Market, General Store, Restaurants For Downtown

April 20, 2017

A new neighborhood market, modern general store and restaurant group expansion are all coming to downtown Traverse City, the Blue Goat is set to be revitalized under new owners, and a new café/delicatessen is opening on Eighth Street in The Ticker’s latest look at local restaurant and retail news.

New Downtown Businesses
Just two weeks after announcing the relocation and expansion of Harvest into the former Union Tap & Grill space on Union Street, restaurateur Simon Joseph has confirmed plans to convert the current Harvest building behind Union Street Station into a bodega-style neighborhood market.

Joseph is partnering with Troy Daily of Create TC and Daily Medias to launch Alley’s Market, an upscale convenience store set to open by Memorial Day weekend. The “one-stop shop” will offer general grocery store items – such as milk, butter, eggs, sugar and local in-season produce – as well as convenience store items and carry-out beer and wine. Joseph and Daily also plan to offer Detroit-style, deep-dish pizza – made in-house – for sale by the pie or slice.

“There are very few places to go downtown to get this kind of stuff,” says Joseph. “After six, it’s pretty hard to grab a six-pack of beer to go or a gallon of milk.” Joseph says Alley’s Market will likely be open from 10am to midnight seven days a week during the summer. The pair plans to emphasize “high-quality” local goods in the store, such as regionally produced cheese, milk, beer and other products, Joseph says.

Around the corner from Alley’s Market, husband-and-wife duo Matthew Desmond and Julie Hearne are preparing for a May 1 opening of their “modern general store” Millie and Pepper in the former Source space at 120 S. Union Street. Hearne says the concept is similar to a lifestyle store, offering home décor, fashion, kitchen, garden, personal grooming and other goods. “We’ve been reaching out to a lot of Michigan makers,” says Hearne. “All our products will be high-quality with gorgeous designs. We’re definitely toward the gifty side…the store is meant to be a fun experience for shopping.”

Hearne says Millie and Pepper will also feature artwork from local artists for sale on the store’s walls and carry sustainable clothing lines. Planned store hours to start are Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm and Sunday 12pm-4pm.

A few blocks over, John McGee and Glenn Harrington have signed a lease agreement with Miller Snowden Development Group for 6,500 square feet of restaurant space on the ground floor of the new four-story building under construction next to Chase Bank on Front Street. While several restaurant concepts have been discussed for the space, “nothing has been decided upon yet,” says McGee. McGee confirms that one potential option is for the partners to relocate their Italian restaurant Sorellina – located just behind the new building at 120 Park Street – into the new space. However, that plan is contingent on the sale of the Sorellina building to new owners, a deal that is still under discussion, says McGee. “We’re weighing options, but no decisions have been made other than we’re going to be occupying (the new building) in some form,” he says.

Meanwhile, Patty Hansen is gearing up for a May 1 grand opening of her Yaya’s Eatery and Sweets (pictured bottom right) at 328 East Front Street next to Traverse City Guitar Company. Yaya’s will offer a variety of baked goods and lunch items, a salad station where customers can create their own custom salads, and ready-made sandwiches, vegetarian options and side dishes like kale salad and potato salad. Hansen says the eatery will “also have all different kinds of cheesecakes, cookies, muffins and tiramisu.”

Blue Goat Wine & Provisions
A trio of new owners hope to breathe new life into long-time Traverse City fixture Blue Goat, which closed its doors at 875 East Front Street at the base of Old Mission Peninsula in January.

Now The Franklin and Trattoria Stella co-proprietor Amanda Danielson, Formative Fitness founder Sebastian Garbsch, and Cordia Club Executive Director Linda Price have formed a partnership and plan to open Blue Goat Wine & Provisions in the same building by Memorial Day weekend.

“The location was an important factor for us,” says Price, noting the partners had been evaluating potential investment opportunities in the community. “There can be pros and cons of taking on a name, but that name has been part of Traverse City since 1974. It’s exciting to be part of a historic project…and it’s a gateway to the peninsula and the wineries and downtown. We want it to have a fun vibe and be a destination experience.”

Price says the shop will offer “customized customer service” and a unique selection of wine “for every person and palette,” including a mix of familiar and new varietals across all price ranges. The store will also offer beer and cider, grab-and-go food items, and “interactive experiences” including wine tastings, membership programs and special events. Former Shady Lane Cellars winemaker Adam Satchwell will oversee day-to-day operations as general manager. Planned summer hours are Monday-Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-9pm, and Sunday 10am-4pm.

Raduno
A neighborhood delicatessen/café “featuring house-made pasta, charcuterie, and vegetable-focused sides” will open in the former Old Mission Multigrain Bakery space at 545 East Eighth street this June.

Butcher and charcuterie specialist Andrea Deibler is opening Raduno (Italian for “a gathering”) with former 9 Bean Rows chef Paul Carlson and former Bella Fortuna North chef Janene Silverman. Deibler plans to use her “nose-to-tail” butchering background to produce housemade sausages, smoked meats and pâtés, while Silverman will put her Italy-honed culinary skills to work producing fresh pastas and sauces daily. Raduno will also offer deli sandwiches, salads and sides. Items will be available for both take-out and dine-in.

“We were all excited about the (Eighth Street) charrette process and all the new things going on Eighth Street the next two to three years,” says Deibler. “We wanted to be part of that…and we wanted to foster the idea of having a year-round business serving locals and the neighborhood.” Deibler says Raduno will stay open through mid-evening during the week for the after-work crowd – planned hours are Monday-Friday from 11am to 7pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm – and will offer a “nice synergy” with neighboring wine shop Bon Vin. “People can stop on their way home to pick up dinner and a bottle of wine,” she says.

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