New Concept, Same Owners: Mama Lu’s to Become Asian Restaurant Happy Cat

Fans of Mama Lu’s in downtown Traverse City have two months to order their final tacos from the Front Street restaurant. As they approach their 10-year anniversary, owners Adrienne Brunette and John Larson are ready for a new challenge and will convert the space into a new fast-casual Asian eatery called Happy Cat. The Ticker has the exclusive details, plus more restaurant and retail news from across the region.

Happy Cat
Mama Lu’s – which opened its doors at 149 East Front Street in May 2016 – is getting ready to wind down after a decade-long run. Co-owner Adrienne Brunette tells The Ticker that while the restaurant remains as busy as ever, a “saturated” market and restlessness from the team to try something new is prompting the company to convert to a new concept.

Mama Lu’s will have its last day on May 5, Cinco de Mayo. The restaurant will then close for a week to allow for an interior brand refresh before reopening as Happy Cat, a new fast-casual Asian restaurant. “When you cook something for ten years, it gets a little tired,” explains Brunette. “We’ve been blessed to retain the same team, and we’ve got people who want to grow and learn. Some want to open their own restaurants and have never been through a rebrand or opening. That process is so valuable to them.”

When Mama Lu’s first opened, it was also one of the only downtown taco-focused restaurants. Since then, both Barrio and Tacos & Tequila have opened on Front Street. “Our business is still strong and thriving, but I want to bring something new,” Brunette says. 

As they did with The Flying Noodle and Italian cuisine, the partners hope to bring a “casual but elevated” approach to Asian-American cuisine at Happy Cat. “It will be an approachable cost and easy to carry out,” Brunette says. In addition to a sake-forward beverage program, Happy Cat will feature dishes like drunken noodles, beef and broccoli, spring rolls, pot stickers, pork belly bao buns, green beans with chili crisp, and cucumber salad. The restaurant will also have “playful” touches like its own take on fortune cookies, Brunette says.

For those missing Mama Lu’s, the restaurant still plans to cater occasional large-scale (100+ people) events featuring the Mama Lu’s menu. Happy Cat will be open daily for lunch and dinner and have outdoor seating this summer on a platform café. The Mama Lu’s staff are also all staying through the transition, Brunette says. “They are all super excited,” she says. “We’re in hospitality, so we’re all hungry for fun and ready for a new challenge.”

More restaurant and retail news…
> Restaurateur Jeff Lobdell has purchased Slabtown Burgers from founders Jeff Pownall and Toni Dye, who launched the West Front Street restaurant in 2009. The restaurant will be “overseen by long-time Traverse City resident Scott Parkhurst, who also works alongside Lobdell in supporting several other well-known local favorites, including The Omelette Shoppe, West End Tavern, Flap Jack Shack, Apache Trout Grill and Boone’s Prime Time Pub in Sutton’s Bay, as well as Grand Beach and Sugar Beach Resorts,” according to a release from Lobdell.

Pownall said in a statement that when deciding to move on, he and Dye “sought out Jeff and the Lobdell family to keep it family-owned and local. I have a lot of confidence that Jeff and his team will continue to take great care of our beloved guests and staff while supporting the community as we always have.”

> Lügn Esthetics is expanding inside the building that also houses Eelo at the corner of Front and Union. Founder Madison Malmstrom announced in an email that Lügn will open a new boutique spa experience in May, expanding beyond esthetic services to offer “massage therapy, non-toxic nail rituals, and additional treatment rooms.” Malstrom described it as a “hidden sanctuary” and “dark, cozy, intimate, and calming space.” Eelo owner Jen Vander Roest notes that her business remains open and that Lügn is expanding to “one side of the ground floor. This will be a fantastic addition to downtown and our connecting spaces.”

> The Interlochen Barbershop has closed its doors, with Pam “The Barber” Clous relocating her business to 3011 North Garfield Road under the name The Hair Hut. A grand opening party is scheduled for Saturday, March 14 from 1pm-3pm, with the new business officially launching Wednesday, March 18 at 9am.  

> Finally, some updates on businesses previously covered in The Ticker. The new Ace Hardware inside the former Joanne Fabrics space in East Bay Plaza has opened its doors, as has new restaurant Coyote Joe’s Pub and Grill on M-72 in Williamsburg and new dessert café and lounge Clean Crumbles on West Front Street. In the Grand Traverse Mall, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is planning a grand opening March 18 in the former T.J. Maxx space. Also in Traverse City, the Folded Leaf bookstore is planning a soft launch Friday (March 13) for its new bookstore inside the Commongrounds Cooperative building on Eighth Street.

On Old Mission Peninsula, new owners Stephanie Krupka and Brian Daley have announced a March 18 opening date for Old Mission Tavern. “Expect the same heart of the Old Mission Tavern with new traditions and menu items,” the owners posted on Facebook. Krupka tells The Ticker they’ve “done some work to make the decor cozy and comfortable. There will definitely be updates as we go. The back room will be ‘in progress’ for the next month or two, but it will eventually be available for additional dining space and/or private events. Expect that closer to the summer months.” Reservations are now available online.

A combined Dunkin’ and Baskin-Robbins store planned for the former Taco Bell space near the intersection of East Front and Barlow streets is now targeting a late spring opening. Sathya “Sam” Yalamuri of Empire Hospitality Group says construction is currently underway, though crews will need to wait until the snow clears to finish final outdoor work and signage. “We are projecting a May opening,” he says.