OAK PARK, MI – The City of Oak Park is proud to announce that a new gastropub will be opening up later this year on Eleven Mile Road between Tulare Street and Tyler Street within an area recently rezoned to mixed-use. Oak Park Social, LLC, led by proprietor Alexander Bishai, received liquor license approval at the Monday, May 20, 2019 City Council Meeting. They received site plan approval earlier this year. This comes just a few short years after Oak Park voters approved Class “C” liquor licenses in the City.

A Michigan native and Michigan State University alumnus, Bishai notes his love for Michigan and confidence in Oak Park’s vision as his reasons for wanting to open up a business in the City. He and his team bring many years of experience in the restaurant industry to the table and expect the business to become a staple in the community.

“We sincerely believe in Oak Park and that of the City’s vision for Eleven Mile Road. We will continue to invest in the City of Oak Park and assist in forging the path for Oak Park to be labeled as a destination for food, spirits, and hospitality in Metro Detroit,” Bishai said. “We knew Oak Park was a great choice because of their recent investments in infrastructure and their strong focus on economic development. Throughout this process, the City has been great to work with, including being business-friendly and exceptionally accommodating.”

The restaurant will boast a menu consisting of artisan-inspired New American cuisine that features unique shareables, a “humungous charcuterie board”, chef-driven entrées, and vegetarian options. Future patrons can also look forward to Sunday brunch hours with unique brunch menu offerings. The menus are expected to be finalized soon. Also in the plans is an outdoor dining area that may feature outdoor games and activities.

Further announcements regarding the gastropub, with a name still yet to be decided, are expected this summer. Bishai anticipates a grand opening date sometime in the early fall of this year.

This development comes on the heels of other major announcements in the area, including the new brewery on Eleven Mile, the new Kroger on Greenfield just south of Eleven Mile, and the expansion of Detroit’s MoGo bike share system, which plans on having a station on Eleven Mile.

“Rezoning a section of Eleven Mile from light industrial to mixed-use will forever change that corridor from an underused area to an attraction,” says Oak Park Mayor Marian McClellan. “It’s a game changer as we can see by the plans for this exciting new restaurant, in addition to the brewery and other retail interests quickly noticing that Oak Park is on the move.”

About:
Situated within the southeast corner of Oakland County, the City of Oak Park has a long history of being an integral, inner-ring suburb of Detroit. With approximately 30,000 residents in 5.16 square miles, we pride ourselves on the richness of our cultural diversity and our safe, secure neighborhoods.

Contact:
Colton Dale
City of Oak Park
Community Engagement and Development Specialist
(248) 691-7589
cdale@oakparkmi.gov