Daily Detroit

We LOVE going out. We love a great time at a great restaurant - and it doesn't have to be fancy to be great. But in recent years, we've seen some doozies and instead of calling out specific places, this is our combination love letter and grievance list for hospitality in Metro Detroit.

Me and engineer of alcohol and audio Randy dig into the real reasons diners don't come back to restaurants, bars, and shops, from missing addresses on social to chaotic hours and confusing menus.

We share practical, low-cost fixes businesses can make right now, including clearer parking info, better web and map listings, sane gratuity policies, and dialing in music and TVs for actual conversation instead of noise.

Whether you run a spot in Detroit or the suburbs, or you're just tired of stunt dishes and bad vibes, this conversation is full of specific examples and ideas to make going out feel worth it again.

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Thanks to our members on Patreon for keeping us going! https://www.patreon.com/c/DailyDetroit

Welcome back from the weekend! Norris and Jer dig into:

• The names of three new lion cubs at the Detroit Zoo
• We unpack the quiet closure of Midtown's Jolly Pumpkin, what it meant to the neighborhood, and what to expect from the new concept coming in.
• There's a viral $50 billion "Freedom City" plan to turn Belle Isle into an exclusive enclave. But in their view, it's hype, not hopeful.
• And we close with the suddenly controversial parking rules facing Stellantis workers who don't drive company brands — but this is the way it's been at factories and facilities for many years.

Feedback as always - dailydetroit - at - gmail - dot - com or leave a voicemail, 313-789-3211.

Make sure to follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get shows.

Jer and Devon talk the issues of the day:

01:55 - Trying Medusa in Detroit (Where we've been) - also see Engineer Randy's first look review: https://www.dailydetroit.com/midtowns-dining-scene-keeps-leveling-up-inside-the-new-medusa-cucina-siciliana/

05:55 - Trying Tuhama's in Dearborn (Where we've been)

11:44 - Metro Detroit's economic concerns; and AI Data Centers need to make their case to local communities

27:44 - Michigan Democratic Senate Primary Poll Talk (it's a tight race)

Hey friends! Your Daily Detroit is here with Jer and Norris, talking all things Metro Detroit. The Rundown:

04:55 - ICE Facility Fight is hot in Romulus

12:30 - Jack in the Box coming to Metro Detroit, with Westland first

15:51 - The Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak is getting new adventure trails

19:52 - Old Comerica Building sold: Speculation on what's next? Plus a little history

25:55 - GM will have more semi-autonomous vehicles on Michigan's streets

30:23 - Apathocracy - the idea that more people need to be plugged in and care (and the down mood on jobs in a Gallup poll)

If you don't already, make sure to follow Daily Detroit in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get shows.

Today I sit down with HistoricDetroit.org founder Dan Austin for a candid conversation about Detroit's lost landmarks, from the Statler and Madison-Lennox hotels to the Lafayette Building and beyond.

We talk about how preservation battles have shifted over the last 20 years, why the Austin Past and Future Fund aims to both safeguard Detroit's stories and support Detroit students, and what it means to plant seeds for a future you may never see.

Dan also opens up about his terminal colon cancer diagnosis, the urgent need for earlier screenings, and how listeners can help by supporting the fund and taking care of their own health.

Support the fund: https://austinpastfuturefund.org/

On today's Daily Detroit, we're talking about what it really looks like when a public school system bets big on kids — and on the skies.

We're joined at the table by Principal Michelle Davis of Davis Aerospace Technical High School and Kerrie Mitchell Campbell‑Mabins, president and CEO of the DPSCD Foundation.​

Davis Aerospace is the only aviation‑themed high school on this side of the state, and their students aren't just reading about planes — they're earning FAA drone certifications, logging at least 40 flight hours, and in some cases getting a pilot's license before a driver's license.

The school owns three Cessnas, is moving back into a newly reimagined Detroit City Airport terminal, and pairs that rigor with hot chocolate bars, a "Zen den," low chronic absenteeism, and a 100% graduation rate.​

We also get into how the DPSCD Foundation is scaling support across 105 schools and 49,000 students, from transforming Cooley High into an athletic complex to a coming high school redesign that builds real career and college pathways.

If you care about Detroit's future, these are the kids — and the adults — to watch.

On today's Daily Detroit, we're coming to you from the speakeasy at the Lager House in Corktown, recorded on St. Patrick's Day and fresh off a jam-packed 313 Day.

Jer is joined by the Prince of Brightmoor himself, Norris Howard, and engineer of audio and alcohol, Randy Walker, to unpack a very Detroit kind of day: part policy, part party, all love for the city.​

We start with the reopening of the Belle Isle Casino and what more than $7 million in investment means for the island, neighborhood parks, and why the state partnership has quietly reshaped how Detroit maintains its public spaces. From there, we talk 313 Day specials (yes, Vernors at McDonald's), Boston Coolers, and surviving the wind without losing power.​

We talk about the Detroit Impact Conference with the Ross School of Business, where keeping more University of Michigan grads in-state is the goal — and how local businesses are tapping MBA talent to fill real gaps.​

We close out sharing some fun facts from our 313-themed trivia night at Tocororo in Eastern Market, with legendary team names like "Ken Cockrel Jr. Jr." and a deep dive into the Aviation Subdivision, corned beef egg rolls, and the very real legacy of Detroit's Chinatown via food.

Plus, we look ahead to a future Detroit City FC stadium in Corktown, why cities are supposed to be busy, and what it means to truly choose Detroit.

There's a ton more content in our live stream, where we were joined by Devon O'Reilly: https://www.youtube.com/live/cx8AJcVfLTU

Of course, follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get shows.

Detroit's recently elected mayor, Mary Sheffield, says the city is done making people wait on the city a month or more for basic home repairs and new construction permits.

In this episode, I take you inside the new four‑point "housing playbook" to speed up renovations and build more single‑family homes across Detroit.

You'll hear how same‑day permits are supposed to work, why the city is betting on pre‑approved home design templates, and what that could mean for the hundreds of thousands of homes Detroit has lost over the decades.

If you're interested in the city as a contractor, developer, official, or most importantly, resident or someone who'd like to live here some day... you'll want to tune in.

Feedback as always: [email protected]

Support the work: https://www.patreon.com/DailyDetroit

Detroit's favorite hyperlocal holiday meets peak cozy season in this Daily Detroit conversation between Jer and Mr. Friday himself, Devon O'Reilly. Recorded for 313 Day, we dig into how to truly "do something Detroit" – from Belle Isle memories to where to spend your time and money in the city right now.​

We start with the reopening of the Belle Isle Casino as a public event space, swapping stories about hot dogs, model boats, and why "casino" never meant hitting the slots on the island.

Then it's on to St. Patrick's Day strategy: the Corktown parade, why "Saint Practice Day" is ridiculous, and Devon's must-have drink list; plus how to make easy, affordable Irish comfort food like corned beef in the slow cooker, shepherd's pie, and stout-heavy stew.​

Foodwise, we get into the cheap and cheerful $10 New York-style halal plate at Halal Desi in Hamtramck as a true "port in the storm," while Devon goes all-in on a special-occasion splurge at Prime + Proper – and wrestles with whether ultra-pricey steaks are really worth it in a world of diminishing returns.

They also talk oysters, Voyager in Ferndale, and mre.​

The episode wraps on "cozy" vibes, from the closure of Caribou Coffee's drive-through-only locations to the rise of Lucky Coffee and making better coffee at home, plus plans for 313 Day trivia and maybe even a future Hazen Pingree birthday party?

The Rundown: 01:25 - Happy 313 Day and St. Patrick's Day talk

11:38 - Where we've been cheap and cheerful and super swanky

11:51 - Halal Desi NY Gyro

13:20 - Devon went to Prime and Proper

18:26 - Caribou Coffee closing in Allen Park and Ferndale

The rundown:

05:08 - So how do we say those Detroit street names? We react.

08:25 - City of Detroit Budget talk: More sidewalk repairs, more money for transit, and a property tax cut

14:09 - It's important to support our creative work in the city, it can't live on grants alone. Two pieces in Outlier made us think.

"In search of a stage: Detroit artists want more independent venues in the city"

"How Black artists and curators are fighting to sustain Detroit's neighborhood artistic spaces"