Wolverine Grill's new owner adapts to changing Ypsilanti business landscape
The Wolverine Grill in Ypsilanti has reopened its doors under new ownership.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
The Wolverine Grill, a longtime Ypsilanti restaurant on West Michigan Avenue, has reopened its doors under new ownership after closing last October.
The Wolverine has a rich history in Ypsilanti and has been located on West Michigan Avenue since the 1930s. Former owner Greg Batianis owned the restaurant from 1963 until he retired in 2008 and turned ownership over to his daughter, Debbie.
Health complications caused the family to close the business on Oct. 19.
New owner Kevin Hill said the restaurant, at 228 W. Michigan Ave., had its grand opening March 29. Hill signed a lease Jan. 1 for the 1,600-square-foot restaurant and said it took a few months for everything to come together.
Hill said when he heard the restaurant was closing, he saw an opportunity.
“I only live two blocks from there and I had eaten there many times in the previous 20 years,” Hill said. “I know they had listed the place and I went to talk to the Realtor and I said, ‘Do you really want to sell that?’
Both the 5,000-square-foot building and the restaurant were listed with Tom Stachler of Real Estate One for $189,000. Above the restaurant are two apartments and an office.
Owner Kevin Hill stands inside of the Wolverine Grill.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Hill reached out to the landlord of the building and said he wasn’t interested in buying the building but he was interested in leasing the restaurant space. Hill was able to reach a lease agreement with the current owner.
Hill began planning soon after to determine what renovations he wanted to do.
“We wanted to change the look but we did not want to change the character,” he said.
Since the restaurant has been open since the 1930s, Hill said some interior changes were needed. Hill did some extensive painting, refurbished the booths and stools in the 44-seat diner and hired eight employees.
“I’m very happy with the look and what we did,” Hill said.
While the interior might look a bit different to former patrons, the menu has changed a bit as well.
Hill said the new Wolverine still sells regular menu items such as hamburgers and the traditional “eggs over easy,” but he’s incorporating a number of new offerings into the menu, many of which are local and Michigan made.
“I get food delivered once a week from Growing Hope’s urban farm,” Hill said. “We get very fresh produce from them.”
Some of the produce—spinach, squash and zucchini— will be incorporated into special menu offerings.
“I’m trying to do as much local and Michigan products as I can,” he said. “We’ve figured out breakfast and lunch are our niche and we’re doing breakfast something different than you can get down the street.”
Hill isn’t only focusing on the menu though, he also incorporates Michigan’s music history into his customers’ experience. Hill is partners at the AM 1700 radio station and the Michigan Music Hall of Fame, which share an office on Washington Street.
“I’m more interested in the kind of place people can come in and converse comfortably,” he said. “That approach has worked well. We’re trying to be a neighborhood downtown restaurant.”
Hill said taking over a restaurant with such a deep history was quite the undertaking and and he decided to keep the name the same out of respect for the past owners and customers. However, he hasn’t completely ruled out a name change yet.
“From a purely business sense I had to find out how much value the brand and it would have cost me a significantly greater amount of money to change the name,” he said. “Whether we change the name or not, we’ll discuss that in the future.” Although the restaurant has undergone a change in ownership, Hill has retained some old Wolverine customers while picking up new ones.
Bar stools sit by a counter inside of Wolverine Grill in Ypsilanti.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
“There are people that are looking to the past and we’ve made significant changes that if you’re looking for what it was 15 years ago you won’t find it but if you’re open, you’ll see the prices are good and the food is good,” Hill said.
Since there was a lapse in time between the restaurant closing and reopening, Hill believes some former Wolverine customers found other places to go. He said the restaurant’s demographics have begun to shift.
“We’re developing a broader base of new customers,” he said. “We were doing a very good business with college students and I’m looking forward to school starting. When there are no college students, business is going to be less.”
Hill said although he has competition literally right down the street with the addition of new restaurants such as Bona Sera Cafe, all of the new businesses are aiding Ypsilanti’s economic health.
“There’s been significant change for the positive,” Hill said. “Business owners are developing more solid business plans. The nature and perception of the area is changing. The reality of what downtown is and the perception is different.”
The Wolverine Grill will be featured as part of the 35th Annual Ypsilanti Heritage Foundation Historic Home Tour taking place from noon to 5 p.m., Sunday Aug. 19. The tour will feature eight properties in Ypsilanti.
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2548 or KatreaseStafford@annarbor.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @KatreaseS.
Comments
PineyWoodsGuy
Thu, Aug 16, 2012 : 4:55 a.m.
BamWow. Yer a good guy, but yer Whip It post doesn't work. Go to You Tube and type into the Search Bar: GUY BARKER AT THE WOLVERINE CAFE.
Lovaduck
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 5:32 p.m.
Good luck to him and the Grill. I'd hate to see that wonderful historically relevant place go! Good for everyone concerned.
Rob Pollard
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 2:32 p.m.
I wouldn't change the name - it's has a good history and, just as important, Wolverine is a local name and if they are going to emphasize local food, it fits. I went there last week and thought it was an improvement from the old place (which was fine, but nothing special). The omelet was good (nothing special, but good) and the potatoes were excellent. They definitely should keep in the new direction they're going - fewer menu items than the typical Coney (which is fine - you don't need 100 options)), smaller portions (which is also fine - most Coney's give you WAY too much food unless you're running marathon the next day) and higher quality with still reasonable prices.
Honest Abe
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 4:43 a.m.
Does anyone know if "Delores" still works there?
Lizzeh
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 8:18 p.m.
She retired last week I think. At least that's what I heard.
Think!
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 1:29 p.m.
She does!
brian
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 4:20 a.m.
I hope more college students go the Wolverine than Abe's. Abe's is not that good. EMU students, please hang out at the Wolverine.
djacks24
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 4:11 p.m.
If they were open when the bars closed, I'm sure they would think about it.
brian
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 3:28 a.m.
I hope they make a good biscuits and gravy. Right now the only good one I can find is at Lucas on Michigan Ave. The Bombers biscuits and gravy, well nasty.
iamwater
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 12:25 p.m.
Try the biscuits and gravy at Beezy's! They're fabulous. I think that it's available most weekends.
FoodForThough
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 5:28 a.m.
Bob Evan - Real Homemade Biscuits and country gravy Yes.......Lucas did not even came close...
DDOT1962
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 3:04 a.m.
You people that complain about $10.00 for a restaurant meal, where in the world do you eat???? If you're getting food made from scratch from moderately capable hands, you should expect to pay at LEAST that amount. Those who eat the processed garbage from places like White Castle have no business comparing that "food" factory output to real food made by real hands in real kitchens. Give me a break and stop whining about paying for quality. Not all Americans have Walmart tastes.
Mary Bilyeu
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 12:05 a.m.
My son and I enjoyed generous quantities of good food, and fabulously friendly service when we visited the Grill. And since it made the cut as a Frugal Friday post, clearly there are a number of very reasonably priced options: http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/food-drink/frugal-friday-at-the-wolverine-grill/
Lizzeh
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 11:45 p.m.
We enjoy visiting the Wolverine. The prices aren't overly expensive, and the food is good. I like how they add a fruit and vegetable to the children's menu. The fries are yummy and the hamburgers are decent. My only complaint is the hours. We went to go for dinner and the hours had changed to close at 3 pm. I understand it probably had to do to lack of foot traffic and business, it was still disappointing. Way better than Abe's that's for sure and way friendlier.
Jonathan Blutarsky
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 8:44 p.m.
I've been eating at the Wolverine since 1995. The new owners have managed to upgrade the menu while keeping cost reasonable to down right cheap. Often they have a $5 meal deal that really can't be beat. Like a burger fries and coke, or an two eggs, potato, meat, and toast platter with coffee. They use quality ingredients like Dearborn ham and the best darn breakfast sausage links I've ever had. You get a nice slice of tomato and lettuce with that 1/4 burger too, and their fries the best around. Service is great and generally on a busy day you're eating fifteen minutes after first sitting down. Their coffee is a solid brew. Portions are reasonable as well - I walk out satisfied but not staggering. My only suggestion is I'd like to see them stay open to seven and offer a supper special like the Wolverine of yester years did. But with 10 solid restaurants now open in downtown Ypsilanti I guess I shouldn't complain too loudly. Oh - try the Wolverines fresh squeezed lemonade - they will sweeten it to order and its slushy consistency and fresh flavor really hits the spot!
Cash
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 10:38 p.m.
Good descriptions, Jonathan....you made me hungry! I'll have to try Wolverine. Thanks!
PineyWoodsGuy
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 8:25 p.m.
Julia Autumn (Krauts will know what I mean), I give you credit for (apparently) posting yer real name. I respectfully disagree with your view of the New Wolverine. They cook an omelette that is the very, very best of any restaurant in the county! The breakfast potatoes are superb. I enjoyed dining at the Old Wolverine on several hundred occasions. Loved Greg's homemade corned beef hash with 2 over easy and kind of miss it (and Greg's mounted fish!). The New Wolv prices are not all that high; maybe a dollar more than a similar Big Boy breakfast (of course you can spend your morning grazing at the all-you-can-eat BB breakfast buffet). Is the reader wondering about "mounted fish"? All I can tell you is that if you knew Greg and the Old Wolv, you'd know what I mean. Maybe another poster will explain it.
bamwow
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 2:21 p.m.
The mounted fish refers to a large fish that was mounted on the wall above one of the booths at the Wolverine. I don't know what kind of fish it was, but you can see it if you watch the film "Whip It", part of which was filmed in Ypsilanti. I just remember that it was a really big fish!
Think!
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 8:13 p.m.
I love the new Wolverine. I work in downtown Ypsilanti and relish the fact there are so many wonderful restaurants in the area. I don't know what they do to their vegetables, but the roasted and grilled vegetable platter is delectable. I also appreciate that the portions are just the right size. I am not impressed with heaping plates of mediocre food. At the Wolverine, you get a proper portion of fresh, well prepared food. Breakfast is a delight - a shout out for the sausage and the nicely seasoned unique potatoes. And the employees are wonderful. I always look forward to dining at The Grill.
PattyinYpsi
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 12:42 p.m.
In line right behind you, talker. Think! and SemperFi, thanks for the reviews!
talker
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 12:04 a.m.
Thanks. We'll try it.
SemperFi
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:53 p.m.
I recently had a chance to eat breakfast at the New Wolverine. I received good food and friendly service in a clean environment. Yep, it's different than it was 20 years ago and that's okay. I'll go back.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:53 p.m.
I'll give them a try even after reading Julia's comment. I don't eat out as often as I used to based solely on prices, which if they don't start coming back to normal, I'll give up eating out all together. I got a craving for White Castle a few months ago, and the bill for just myself was $10. I now have a garden, which will double in size next year if things don't change. I'm still shaking my head over the $10 White Castle bill.
talker
Wed, Aug 15, 2012 : 12:03 a.m.
I don't eat at White Castle, but in general fast food restaurants get profits from soft drinks, etc.. Water is free and that might have cut 20% out of your bill. I have no idea what things cost at White Castle, but I'm wondering if your bill including buying extra food to take home.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 9:48 p.m.
Homeland I grow veggies, so I can save a little money and have a good meal at home. Try and keep up.
Homeland Conspiracy
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 9:42 p.m.
You can grow White Castle?
Ignatz
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:44 p.m.
This is my new Sunday breakfast spot. The food is of a higher quality that one might expect from a coney island, though the quantity is not the same. To me, the price adequately reflects that. For instance, the omelets contain more than the usual vegetables, the potatoes are not fried in a bunch of grease and the coffee tastes like coffee. It's worth my money, at least. With our latest fat state rank, getting a heaping plate of food is not so desirable, anymore.
David Waligora
Tue, Aug 14, 2012 : 7:45 p.m.
agreed