Grosse Pointe Park Business District Neighbors Welcome New Restaurants

David Murie remembers when Grosse Pointe Park was bustling with foot traffic to his antique store and seven others in the city.  Today, his is the only remaining antique store in the Park. Murie hopes that the addition of the Silver Pig Restaurant Group's three new restaurants in the heart of the Park's business district will bring people back to eat—and shop.

"We've been here 23 years and we need this change.  It's about time," Murie said.

Murie's store, Lloyd David Antiques, is directly across Kercheval from the former Standard Oil service station, which is being renovated to host Red Crown, the first of Mindy Lopus' Silver Pig Restaurant Group's projects to begin construction.

Like many park residents, Murie said he's known that a restaurant was coming to the vintage service station for several months but wasn't sure of all the details.  Now, knowing that Red Crown is going to be the new neighbor, Murie says he's looking forward to the restaurant's completion.

Terri Forton and Katie Cynowa are equally enthusiastic about the new restaurant ventures coming to the Park.  The two are staff members of , a hair salon located next to the future site of two of the Silver Pig Group's projects, Bona Fide Bakery and Tallulah's Wine Bar and Bistro. The salon has been a keystone business in the Park for more than 26 years.

"I'm very excited.  It's nice to know what's going to be happening," Forton said. 

Cynowa thinks the new restaurants will help bring a fresh start for the Park's business district.

"It's going to bring some life down here and bring back the foot traffic," Cynowa said.

Grosse Pointe Park City Administrator Dale Krajniak said he's very excited about the interest in the business district and for the community as a whole.

"I think it gives our community a nice shot in the arm," Krajniak said.

Krajniak believes Lopus' business saavy and conscious decision to preserve the iconic service station's architecture will serve her well as a new member of the Park's business community.  Lopus currently has two award-winning restaurants in Birmingham, the original Tallulah's and Bellapiatti.

The three Grosse Pointe Park restaurant projects have staggered completion timelines with the first two completed this winter and the other next spring.

As for the future construction next door, Cynowa is still upbeat, "All the construction is for a better thing, right?"