Front Street Projects Called Off; More Retail, Restaurant News

Two prominent Front Street projects have been called off, with new live music venue The Red Piano no longer moving forward in the former Mackinaw Brewing Company space and developer Joel Peterson scrapping plans for a four-story mixed-used development at the former Mid-American Title site. The Ticker has the details on those and other retail and restaurant updates from across the region.

Front Street Projects
After announcing plans last fall for The Red Piano – a live music venue with locations in Santa Barbara and St. Maarten – to open a Traverse City location on the main floor of the Beadle building on the corner of Front and Cass, the owners have called off their plans.

Co-owner Jason Jones told The Ticker as recently as June that the company was working toward a July or August opening, saying engineering delays had slowed progress. However, a “for sale” recently went up in the window of the former Mackinaw Brewing Company space, with a $2.3 million listing offering the basement and first-floor levels “for a wide range of possibilities.”

When reached by email, Jones confirmed his team is “no longer moving forward with the Front Street location.” While he didn’t say why, he noted that they “haven’t ruled out Traverse City just yet. Finding the right space has been a challenge, and we’re currently exploring a couple of other potential locations.”

Building owner Jon Carlson says the venue partners were “unable to secure their resources or financing to do the project,” adding he’s “really disappointed” and working through the separation. “That said, lots of activity and people looking at it, as I truly believe it’s the best location in town,” he says of the building. Carlson also owns the still-vacant Blue Tractor building on Union Street, which he suggested as an alternate site for The Red Piano to “no avail.” Carlson says he’s open to partnering with the “right people and concept” for the Blue Tractor space.

The plug has also been pulled on another Front Street project. Joel Peterson of J. Peterson Homes had planned to redevelop the former Mid-American Title building at 424 East Front Street into a four-story mixed-use development with luxury condos, his firm’s offices, and ground-floor retail space. Peterson struck a unique public-private partnership with the City of Traverse City in which he paid to redevelop city land across the street along the Boardman River into a new public pocket park with native landscaping, a brick-paver terrace, and benches and tables. Peterson fully funded the improvements – which were intended to improve East Front Street, in part to benefit his future tenants – with the city retaining full ownership of the land and amenities.

Peterson says he engaged Brick & Corbett to market his development with “price points in the upper $2 million to mid-$3 million price range. Although the layout, location, and views were spectacular, the market for high-end condominiums turned out to be softer than expected. We didn’t have the desire to spend $10 million-plus and construct the building on spec, or to build a less expensive product, so recently we had Brick & Corbett list the building at $1.295 million.” Peterson says the site’s location and “new views make this an attractive property for an office, retail shop, restaurant, or a mixed-use development.”

More retail and restaurant news…
Several other changes are underway in downtown TC. Owner Jen Edson-Rife held a grand opening Thursday for new women’s shop Katakana Boutique at 219 South Cass Street. “We carry many brands including but not limited to Planet, Aleeza Paris, Risen Jeans, Unpublished Jeans, Anthropology brand Nation LA, ICONA, and many others,” she says. Business hours are 10am-6pm Tuesday-Saturday.

Intimate wear boutique intimi is moving from Warehouse MRKT on Hall Street – which was recently sold to new owners – to Front Row Centre at 121 East Front Street. Owner Carolyn Greenman says she’ll be located on the fourth floor of the building along with her tattoo business Pokey Robinson. The store will remain open at Warehouse MRKT through this Wednesday and then reopen on Front the first week of November. Another new business, gift shop and quilt studio Common Objects, also had its grand opening in Front Row Centre this weekend.

While The Little Fleet’s food trucks have closed for the season, the bar’s annual Kitchen Takeover and Soup & Bread events are about to begin. The Kitchen Takeover lineup – which features guest chefs popping up Monday-Tuesday when Crocodile Place is closed – includes Acorn Kitchen (November 9-10), Sazon Latin Flavors (November 16-17), Happy’s Taco Shop (November 23-24), Maddi’s Little Kitchen (November 30-December 1), Miss Juni (December 14-15), Guangxi’s Fire Fold (December 21-22), and Suomi Pop (December 28-29). The Soup & Bread series raises money for local nonprofits through a pay-as-you-want model for soups prepared by local chefs and runs the first Monday of each month November-April.

Traverse City commissioners last week approved several liquor license applications for downtown ventures. The Happy Cat, the new fast-casual Asian concept from the owners of Mama Lu’s and The Flying Noodle on Union Street, is targeting a late November or early December opening, according to owner Adrienne Brunette. Raduno on Eighth Street is planning to expand into dinner service and offer wine with meals, according to owner Janene Silverman, who’s still working through approvals and plans to share more details in 2027.

Everyday Cookery, the new cooking teaching kitchen from chef Abra Berens planned for the Boardman Building on Webster Street, received city approval for a joint tasting room with MAWBY and Granor that will offer wine pairings for the food prepared at the school’s classes and events. Everyday Cookery just announced an annual membership program for $100 that will start in January offering video demos, chef advice hours, weekly recipes and more, with live events to follow later next year.

Oryana Tenth Street is starting construction today (Monday) on a “small addition that will allow us to improve our merchandising and customer flow and ultimately provide our owners and shoppers with a better experience,” according to Marketing Manager Cody Sovis. The work will require closures of Oryana’s east entrance for a few days, though the store and both parking lots will be open.

Outside of downtown, new salon Creative Nails & Head Spa is planning a grand opening Wednesday at 13730 South West Bay Shore Drive. Services include manicures, pedicures, waxing, head spa treatments (head/neck/shoulder massages, steam treatments, hair washing, and more), and kids services. Across town, long-running business CC Jewelers is winding down operations and holding final sales on Garfield Avenue. Owner Nicki Croad cited a desire to spend more time with family in a post about the impending closure.

Finally, multiple local businesses are debuting new food menus. Toby’s Dog House outside of Silver Spruce Brewing Company unveiled a completely revamped menu this week featuring coastal catch seafood (including boil bags), lobster and shrimp rolls, specialty dogs with Kogel’s and Maxbauer’s meats, taproom snacks, and a kid’s menu. In Elk Rapids, the Noble Lounge – located inside the Dexter Hotel – just launched its new food program under Executive Chef John Korycki including shareable small plates, fresh hand-stuffed pastas, porchetta sliders, a kielbasa/sauerkraut plate, and more. Additional entrees will follow in November, along with a new Sunday brunch menu offered 10am-2pm. Lastly, Umbo will host a special Bob’s Burgers-themed pop-up this Saturday starting at noon for Halloween. The Front Street restaurant will swap out its normal menu for burgers and fries inspired by the TV show, with families and costumes welcomed.

Pictured, clockwise from left: Beadle/former Mackinaw Brewing Company building, new city pocket park on East Front Street, former Mid-American Title building