Changes are coming to Front Street – including the opening of a new comedy club and closure of long-time retail staple Trains & Things Hobbies – plus Old Mission Tavern is reopening under new owners and more businesses are on the move in The Ticker’s latest look at retail and restaurant news.

Front Street
A new comedy room is coming to the lower level of the Beadle building – formerly home to Mackinaw Brewing Company – at the corner of Front and Cass streets. Local comedian Devin Keast will be the owner and operator of Voyageurs, a planned underground club with approximately 50-60 seats and a full bar. Keast says he was inspired to “provide the right environment for my fellow comics and comedy fans, and when I saw the space on Front, I saw the opportunity to do something good. This is a room that some of the best comedy clubs in bigger cities would be envious of.”

Renovations are starting this month on the space, with an anticipated November opening. Voyageurs is planned to operate Wednesday-Saturday, with a free open mic on Wednesdays, an “affordable” local talent showcase on Thursdays, and two headlining shows each on Fridays and Saturdays featuring performers from across the Great Lakes region and country, according to Keast. He says he intends to always reserve a few bar seats for comedians to attend shows for free, as that’s how he grew in his own career. Keast says he’ll have snacks available but will primarily encourage audiences to eat at the many surrounding restaurants downtown.

The club is the first new use announced for the Beadle building since local restaurateur Jon Carlson purchased it in 2023. Carlson tells The Ticker another tenant has been secured for the prominent ground floor space, but says he can’t yet disclose their identity. “It’s exciting,” he says, adding there is “no one like them in town.”

After 43 years in business in downtown Traverse City, Trains & Things Hobbies is closing its doors September 30. Owner Peter Magoun said in a release that the “time has come to end a long, successful run of a business that has been a presence on Front Steet for several decades.” The hobby store was started by Bob and Mary Ellen Rethman in 1982 in a small retail space in the alley north of Front Street along the river, later relocating to the entrance/foyer area of the City Opera House. The Rethmans sold the business in 1992 to Bruce Penney, who operated the store until he sold it to Magoun in 1998. In 2002, Trains & Things Hobbies moved to its current home at 210 East Front Street. Magoun said in the release he wants to “thank everyone who supported the store over the years for their patronage and good will.” Magoun did not respond to a request for comment on what will come next for the Front Street storefront.

Old Mission Tavern
After hitting the market in 2024, the Old Mission Tavern on Old Mission Peninsula is poised to reopen under new ownership. Stephanie Krupka and Brian Daley, who recently moved back from the Chicago area, are hoping to open the restaurant’s doors in November. However, timing will hinge on finalizing the liquor license transfer with the state – the reason the sale is still pending.

Krupka says the duo – who have extensive hospitality experience – will be updating Old Mission Tavern’s menu. However, “we may feature old menu items as a rotating special,” she says. The real estate listing shows a $1.3 million asking price and reflects a pending sale for the property, including the 4,400-square-foot restaurant, adjacent 1,260-square-foot gallery, and liquor license.

More Openings, Closings, and Moves…
The property at 416 Munson Avenue – once the Traverse Victorian Inn and Northern Star Assisted Living facility – has reopened as a new hotel called The Vic by Kasa. The website cites a revamped property with “thoughtfully designed rooms, complimentary parking, and a fitness center,” plus tech-enabled self check-in and “24/7 guest support by text and on-site and virtual Front Desk services.” City commissioners recently approved a resolution of support for Laurentide Winery – located in Lake Leelanau – to obtain an off-premises tasting room license for a new tasting room in The Vic. Laurentide owners Will and Susan Braymer acknowledged plans for the Traverse City location in an email to The Ticker, but noted they’re “still awaiting approval from regulatory bodies” to move forward, which could take several months.

Locally owned nail salon Polished Nail Boutique is moving from its home on Eighth Street to the Cherryland Center. The business, owned and operated by Brooke Beckman for the last decade, will be located near the former Yonkers entrance. Beckman says she will open in the new space October 1. Also moving homes is The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay, which is relocating from the Discovery Pier campus – soon to be transformed into the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center – to the Old Silver Maple Building on East Front Street effective this week.

Two popular local food trucks are undergoing ownership changes. De Food Truck owner Toby Dunne announced he has sold the truck to Jake Elsenheimer, a “talented local chef who shares the same passion for food and community,” Dunne says. Dunne is stepping back from the kitchen for health reasons, but says Elsenheimer will “carry on the tradition of serving delicious gluten-free food in a welcoming atmosphere that you’ve all helped us create” on J. Maddy Parkway in Interlochen. The truck will be open 11am-8pm most days in September before closing for the season and returning next spring, Dunne says. He adds that he will still be continuing to develop Interlochen Depot, his envisioned community hub on the 1.8-acre parcel where De Food Truck is stationed.

In downtown Traverse City, Full Send Ramen owner Daniel Mabie announced this weekend that general manager Tracy Ward is “taking on an ownership role” with the truck located at The Coin Slot. “She could not deserve this more, have prepared for it better, and be set up for success carrying the flame of our family-oriented, local farm-supporting, and ramen-loving little trailer alongside her two daughters,” he posted. Mabie said Ward is “not only keeping the favorites but also bringing back our discontinued tonkotsu ramen and more.” The truck is open Tuesday-Wednesday 4pm-10pm and Thursday-Saturday 12pm-10pm.

Northwestern Michigan College’s teaching restaurant, Lobdell's, is opening for lunch on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the fall semester starting September 17 and running through December 3 at the Great Lakes Campus on East Front Street. Reservations for lunch service, which runs from 11:30am to 1pm, are available online. Lobdell’s will also be offering farm-to-table dinners on September 11, September 18, and October 2. Each dinner will have a unique prix fixe menu and an optional wine flight paired with the courses for $65 per person plus tax and service (wine pairing an additional charge).

TC Travel Long Term Parking & Detailing has announced the opening of a second location at 1407 Industry Drive. The company will hold a grand opening event September 18 from 3pm-6pm at the site, which will offer a “new vehicle detailing facility, indoor VIP parking, and affordable off-site airport parking lot.” The company’s first location is at 815 Business Park Drive and offers similar services, as well as indoor and outdoor storage for cars and motorcycles.

Finally, another prominent piece of downtown Traverse City real estate has hit the market. Warehouse MRKT on Hall and Garland streets has been listed for sale for $2.95 million. The listing touts “nine established tenants in a proven multi-tenant rental model” and flexibility of use, “whether you envision expanding its beloved local marketplace, establishing a flagship retail concept, or pursuing a unique mixed-use redevelopment. Sitting on three-quarters of an acre with convenient on-site parking, this property offers both stability and untapped potential…in one of Traverse City’s most sought-after districts.”