Hey friends, Jer here.
It's been fascinating to watch the visceral reaction by Detroiters near and far over the latest chapter in the dueling downtown coney feud about rats.
Whether it was a media tour that got nearly 400,000 views alone on our Instagram, or combating statements between the two long time establishments, Lafayette and American — the conflict has heated up again.
Neither is my favorite coney island, so I'll leave the debates to you. I'm more interested in the truth about the rats themselves.
Rats aren't unique to that area of town, of course. Dearborn is wrestling with the issue, and is apparently deploying cats to try and handle it. Not to pick on anyone specifically, there are other areas too, I'm just keeping it short for time.
Rats are kind of magical creatures. Smart. Adaptable. Emotional. They also bring issues, no doubt.
I wanted to get to the bottom of what it actually takes to keep them away, dispel some myths, and so on the podcast I went down an information rat hole with Dr. Bobby Corrigan.
Corrigan is an experienced rodentologist and one of the top experts in the field — who beyond his academic work even spent time sleeping in a barn with them to learn more about their ways. You can check out the episode on our website, on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Let's get to the rest of the stories. As always, my analysis is in italics.
🍸 A new cocktail bar named "Father Forgive Me" is coming this spring to Detroit's east side. The establishment will be located in the former garage space of The Shepherd Detroit, adjacent to ALEO on Parkview. [Instagram with more pictures]
The Shepherd is a church that's been converted into a community, arts and entertainment space.
The Father Forgive Me venture comes from the established hospitality group behind several successful downtown Detroit venues, including Standby, Deluxx Fluxx, and The Skip.
Interior design for the intimate wine and cocktail bar will be handled by Holly Jonsson Studio.
Plans for the venue include utilization of The Shepherd's outdoor spaces, with programming aimed at fostering community engagement through art, culture, and conversation. More details soon, but you can follow them on social media here.
I'm biased because I'm from the east side — but I am excited to see all these things happening.
🌳 Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's new road funding plan includes a proposed wholesale tax on marijuana sales that could generate $470 million, but has the cannabis industry concerned. The plan would add what might be a 32% wholesale tax on top of existing taxes, potentially raising consumer prices from the current average of $69 to $91 an ounce. [Crain's Detroit Business]
The Michigan cannabis business is a mess. With rock-bottom prices, almost nobody is making money and some are pulling out of the market completely. I do think that if we're going to treat marijuana more like alcohol it should be subject to the same "sin" taxes, but I also wonder if there's any way to make that industry sustainable?
🏨 The Dearborn Planning Commission has approved an ambitious redevelopment plan for the 18-story former Hyatt Regency hotel into a mixed-use development featuring 258 apartments and 216 hotel rooms. The project will include two restaurants on the second floor plus a lounge on the 16th floor in the space that once housed the iconic Rotunda ballroom. [Detroit Free Press]
🍺 Next time you come to the city, you should at the very least buy a resident a drink. Beer, booze, coffee, whatever. And not in the "sad" kind of way. As peers. Me and Norris discuss the "new rule" (sorry Bill Maher, we need a different name) that came up on a recent trip on the Woodward bus. [Daily Detroit]
💰 The Detroit-based premium performance apparel company Greyson Clothiers has secured $20 million in Series A funding. Founded in 2015 by former Ralph Lauren designer Charlie Schaefer, Greyson focuses on sophisticated luxury design with technical functionality. [Daily Detroit]
🏒 Watch hockey, help a neighborhood hockey rink! The 2025 Champagne Showcase Presented by Labatt is coming up! This family-friendly event is Saturday, February 22, from 1pm - 8pm. [Daily Detroit]
🧑🍳 How do you feel about restaurant surcharges? They're popping up across the region in response to higher costs and an impending change in wages. Me and Devon discuss this and more on an episode of the Daily Detroit podcast. [Daily Detroit]
🍳 The Clique is a Detroit institution in diner form, and I'm glad to see it get some love in a recent piece. It's a who's who of Detroit, over affordable (and tasty) breakfast. If you haven't been, it's on East Jefferson just before you get downtown. [Bridge Detroit]
That's it for now, thanks so much for reading. If you've got feedback, let me know - jer - at - dailydetroit - dot - com.
Remember you are somebody — and we'll talk soon.
-Jer
