Downtown Traverse City continues to be roiled by change, with Union Street Station announcing its planned closure this week, the Traverse City Record-Eagle departing its longtime home on Front Street, the entrepreneur behind Voyageurs pulling the plug on the planned comedy club, and Enclave 201 converting to a new steakhouse. The Ticker has the latest on those and other downtown updates.

Union Street Station
After The Ticker  broke the news Thursday that Union Street Station is closing its doors February 28, ending a 134-year run downtown, both the business and building owners shared more details on a legal battle brewing over the space.

Bob Guyot, who’s owned the building for several decades, filed a complaint in Thirteenth Circuit Court suing tenant Rick Thompson, who operates Union Street Station with partner Christina. Guyot is seeking $50,000 in damages and the ejection of the Thompsons from the premises, alleging they violated their lease by failing to maintain the building.

While Guyot is responsible for structural and major plumbing/heating/electric repairs, according to the lease terms, the Thompsons are responsible for all routine maintenance, interior repairs, and upkeep of windows and doors. The complaint outlines numerous maintenance issues – with inspection reports attached – including water and floor damage, broken wallboard, loose electrical wires, open junction boxes without covers, and more. Guyot also alleges he had to replace the furnace for nearly $9,000 in 2022 because the tenants didn’t regularly change out filters as required.

Guyot sent a notice of default in November requesting the Thompsons address a list of necessary repairs within 30 days to avoid eviction proceedings. The complaint says those repairs have still not been completed. Guyot tells The Ticker he never wanted to lose Union Street Station as a tenant but was concerned about people getting hurt and “the building going to hell.” Reacting to online speculation he wanted to convert the property to another use, Guyot notes the Thompsons recently renewed a five-year lease and that he has another tenant on the second floor. Guyot says he would’ve been happy to keep the income stream if he wasn’t concerned about the building’s safety and longevity. “I’m frustrated and sad,” he says.

Christina Thompson uses nearly identical words to describe her situation, noting that “this has been our baby for 15 years, with Rick working there for over 25 years.” The bar owners will soon file a response to the complaint, which Christina says contains several “false” claims. “There are dozens of emails, with pictures of repairs completed, exchanged with Bob and his attorney,” she says. “For Bob to claim no progress was being made is a flat-out lie. We have the proof and are disgusted that he is stating we have neglected the building.” Calling the complaint a “bullying tactic” to end their lease, Christina says: “We are losing five years of business and five years of wages/salaries. This is devastating for our family as well as for the community.”

Though the court case is still unfolding, the Thompsons plans to close Union Street Station at the end of the month. Several farewell concerts are planned for the bar’s final three weeks. Guyot says he plans to get workers in the space in March to make repairs and “fix the code violations.” Guyot says he’s been approached since the news broke by other parties interested in operating in the space. “I hope to have another bar in there,” he says.

Record-Eagle
The Traverse City Record-Eagle is preparing to depart its longtime home on West Front Street. The paper announced Thursday it’s selling its office building and relocating to another Traverse City location – one that will “accommodate the editorial, advertising, and production staffs’ print and digital operations,” according to the story. Terms are still being negotiated on the new location and will be “reported later,” the paper stated.

The Record-Eagle did not disclose a sales price for the building, nor a targeted move date. Executive Editor Rebecca Pierce told The Ticker there’s no “set timeline” for relocating. According to the Record-Eagle, Interim Publisher Beverly Joyce said the new location “will now be our home for the long haul.”

Voyageurs
The entrepreneur behind a planned comedy room in the lower level of the Beadle building – formerly home to Mackinaw Brewing Company – is pulling the plug on the project. Owner Devin Keast announced plans in September to launch a new 50-60-seat club called Voyageurs at the corner of Cass and Front streets. However, “there simply wasn’t enough funding,” Keast says.

He laments having to drop the club, as he doesn’t know if there’s a “better use for that particular space. It would have been difficult for anyone to have a bad experience there. But with Traverse City flourishing as the cultural magnet for nightlife and entertainment in northern Michigan, and with an imperishable local comedy scene, I am confident that someone – hopefully a comedian – will be able to see this through someday.”

The Pretty Penny Steakhouse
Owner Dean Sparks is preparing to convert his Enclave 201 restaurant at the corner of Front and Cass into a new concept called The Pretty Penny Steakhouse. The new steakhouse “takes its name – and its spirit – from the building it calls home,” Sparks said by email. “Once a neighborhood bank, this space now holds something even better: great food, good company, and nights worth repeating.  Where good food makes cents.”

Sparks said the space will feature “warm copper tones” and “dark woods,” with a “lively room that feels elevated but never exclusive.” The steakhouse will prioritize “warmth over formality, authenticity over pretension, and making everyone feel genuinely welcome,” Sparks wrote. The Pretty Penny Steakhouse will launch during the upcoming Traverse City Restaurant Week February 22-28, with reservations now available online, according to Sparks. The menu shows starter options such as wedge or Caesar salads, shrimp ceviche, and burrata, with mains ranging from surf and turf and airline chicken to salmon and pork chops.

Other Downtown News…
> After cancelling multiple screenings earlier this week, the State Theatre  announced it has sustained damage from a roof leak and will be closed until further notice on Front Street. “Unfortunately, water damage was sustained inside the building,” the theater posted. “We need time to ensure the theatre is clean, clear, and safe before we reopen.” The theater said it would share updates on its website as they become available.

> After previously announcing plans to close at The Coin Slot at the end of 2025 and reopen inside Silver Spruce Brewing Company, Two Sons Pizza announced this week that it will officially launch today (Saturday) in its new Eighth Street space. The eatery will be open noon and 10pm today, with current hours available on Google going forward.

> Finally, further down Eighth Street just outside downtown, the City of Traverse City has received a $100,000 grant to invest in its East Side Social District near the Eighth/Garfield intersection. The award came through the Project for Public Spaces’ Community Placemaking Grants supported by General Motors. Only two other projects received funding this cycle: Campus Martius in Detroit and Saratoga Plaza in Newport, Kentucky. The funding will allow the city to “create a flexible, people-first design for the East Side Social District,” according to a release. Expanded programming, improved amenities, and increased business activity connecting both sides of the street are planned, with the Project for Public Spaces’ Placemaking team working with the city starting in February to gather public input and develop designs.