New Korean BBQ Restaurant Opening in Warehouse District; More Restaurant, Retail News

Chad Perreault – the owner of the popular Heart n Seoul Korean food truck at Earthen Ales – is preparing to launch a new brick-and-mortar Korean BBQ restaurant in downtown Traverse City, complete with karaoke rooms and a Korean-style photo booth. The Ticker has the details on the new business – called The Three Pigs – plus other restaurant and retail updates from across the region.

The Three Pigs
Chad Perreault received city commission approval this week for a redevelopment liquor license application for his new restaurant The Three Pigs, planned for the soon-to-be-former Mammoth Distilling space next to The Workshop Brewing Company in the Warehouse District (pictured). Perreault will take over the space in November to begin renovations ahead of a targeted February soft opening.

Perreault – who spent years in Korea attending university, teaching, and cooking – aims to build on the success of his Heart n Seoul food truck with the new restaurant. “It’s always been the plan to get into a brick-and-mortar,” he says. “The food truck was the starting point, because it was cost-effective and helped me figure out working with people and suppliers. It was a great starting point.”

The Three Pigs – a nod to Perreault’s three brothers as well as samgyeopsal, the Korean word for pork belly that translates to "three-layered meat” – will bring the chef’s favorite communal dining tradition to Traverse City. “I’ve been to more than 40 countries and have experienced Korean BBQ in every one,” he says. “It’s really what I love to do, and I want to share that experience with as many people as I can.”

While traditional Korean BBQ typically sees customers grill marinated meats at their own tables – accompanied by a range of sauces, garnishes, vegetables, and sides – Perreault says restaurant staff will grill the meat in the back of the house and then bring the grill arrangement out to customers. That’s to help acclimate diners to the tradition, he says, with the goal of eventually transitioning to customers cooking the meat themselves. Trios of sauces, sides, and soups – including kimchi, soybean, and fluffy egg soups – will round out the menu, along with Korean beers and spirits like soju.

The Three Pigs will feature karaoke rooms in the back – previously a private event space – and a photo booth in the entrance, both staples of Korean culture. The Heart n Seoul truck will wrap up its final season at Earthen Ales October 14. Perreault says he’s in talks to have Earthen Ales take over the truck as an incubator kitchen for future chefs; barring that, he’ll hold on to the truck for catering. Meanwhile, Mammoth Distilling is hosting its last few weeks of business in the Warehouse District – the company promises a “big, final blowout” to wrap up – before opening in a relocated tasting room at 332 East Front Street next to Nolan’s. “Best guess is the last weekend of October,” says founder Chad Munger of the launch date. “That is of course contingent on licensing, but I’m hopeful!”

Other restaurant and retail news…
In addition to Perreault’s license, city commissioners Monday approved a banquet facility liquor license Monday for NanBop Farm – a biodiverse farm in Cadillac that hosts community programming and events – to operate in Traverse City. NanBop Farm is a related entity to 910 Media Group/Heritage Broadcasting, which owns property at 415 Cass Street. The license will allow NanBop to host private events on the deck of the Cass Street building, though the application notes that “the deck will not be generally open to the public.”

Several closures are underway in downtown Traverse City. Retail store FatFace has closed its doors at 204 East Front Street, while Brilliant Books is preparing to wind down its brick-and-mortar operations at 118 East Front Street. Staff said the goal is to remain open through the end of October. In a letter to customers, Brilliant Books said “our devotion to doing things the very best way outpaced the revenues that were needed to sustain that. It is a bittersweet truth: the very qualities that made this place remarkable also made it hard to keep alive.” The company plans to keep its online store and subscription service going, however, and said Brilliant Books will appear at occasional pop-up events.

Pangea’s Pizza has temporarily closed at 135 East Front Street for renovations. Work will include a new basement floor and drains to support a new prep area, remodeled bathrooms, improved bar/host/expo areas, an upgraded kitchen line and seating, and a remodeled rooftop. Owner Chris Mohrhardt says Pangea’s will likely reopen in March or April and notes sister locations Incredible Mo’s and Loco Boys Brewing Company remain open during the reconstruction.

Elysian Lash Company has opened its doors at 525 South Union Street Suite E. Licensed esthetician Ellen Phillips runs the studio, which specializes in customized lash artistry and beauty care including lash extensions, fills, lifts, and brow services. On the other side of downtown, Traverse Bay Café is under new ownership at 810 East Front Street. New owner Ashley Flowers says that while the Cuban-style eatery is closed now for improvements and restructuring, she plans to share more details publicly soon on an upcoming reopening.

Further down East Front, ice cream stand Super Cone has closed for the season at The Coin Slot, while Mexican food truck Sabores Y Colores is now operating in the arcade parking lot. The truck will be open through October and possibly longer, weather permitting. The Coin Slot owner Scott Pierson also plans to begin renovations on the inside restaurant space – currently home to Two Sons Pizza, which is departing at the end of the year – starting January 1 for a to-be-announced project that will be operated by The Coin Slot. Down the block, The Little Fleet announced this will be the final weekend for food trucks operating outside for the year.

The Foundry Craft Grillery has closed its doors on River Street in Elk Rapids. “We are incredibly grateful to the community, our staff, and our guests for their support and loyalty since our three-year time in Elk Rapids,” co-owner Andre Bushell said in a statement to The Ticker. “This was a difficult decision, but one made with careful consideration. We look forward to focusing our energy on continuing to serve northern Michigan through our other restaurant concepts. We ask for privacy and respect for our team during this transition, and we sincerely thank everyone who has been part of the Foundry family.” The East Jordan Foundry location remains open.

Mission Proper has announced that its last day of operations at Seven Hills on Old Mission Peninsula will be October 26. Coffee shop owner Jennifer Kuhar posted that “there is exciting energy behind the scenes with a potential new candidate interested in carrying the torch forward under a refreshed vision. Knowing that this space may continue as a third place for our community makes my heart full.” Two other local businesses are exiting the scene: GameStop has closed its doors in the Grand Traverse Mall, while dog grooming shop Petit Pooch Salon announced it will close mid-April when its lease expires on Hastings Street.

Finally, a new hobby and collectibles shop is coming to Traverse City. Treysian’s Treasures is planning a soft opening November 10 on Garfield Avenue next to Sherwin-Williams. The shop will specialize in Pokémon cards and other trading cards games, plus support board games and tabletop role-playing games.