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Tag: UFO Factory

  • Detroit’s UFO Factory is not dead, actually

    Detroit’s UFO Factory is not dead, actually

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    We’re sorry for scaring you with our reporting that the UFO Factory is closing. We were wrong.

    Well, sort of.

    The popular Corktown bar and music venue will instead be reopening with a new owner and name but will mostly keep its lovable essence.

    Roula David, the owner of Detroit nightclub, art gallery, and record store Spot Lite, has purchased UFO Factory and will rename it UFO BAR, reports WDET. However, the current staff will stay, alongside the humble menu of cold beer and hot dogs.

    The owners of UFO Factory posted to Instagram on June 3 to announce that the venue’s last day would be June 15.

    “[We] are getting out of the bar/restaurant/venue biz!” the post said. “[What’s] next to come at 2110 Trumbull??? All will be revealed soon soon soon and fear not if you loved OUR #ufoFACTORY you are likely to be pleased with the next evolution (more info coming soon🤔).”

    Since its opening in 2014, UFO Factory has been a local staple for underground rock and punk shows, as well as queer-focused DJ nights. The venue is also known for its quirky pink-walled gender-neutral bathrooms, which have become a premier selfie destination for local hipsters.

    So while the closure announcement left room for a new beginning, many were still concerned about the bar’s unknown destiny. But, there’s no need to worry.

    The OG UFO Factory’s days will come to an end on Saturday, with a trio of Detroit bands performing to mark the end of an era. Then, the venue will take a short break before launching as UFO BAR with a grand reopening by the end of July.

    UFO BAR will introduce a new late-night menu and event lineup, though much of the programming will remain the same.

    Fans of Laika Dog, the vegan hot dog spot at UFO Factory, might be disappointed to learn it will be no longer. However, the bar will still offer gourmet vegan hot dogs from Spot Lite’s resident food truck, Gladys Nite.

    David also plans to bring more life to UFO Factory’s iconic “cloud deck” and maintain the record store inside, expanding the selection to include new genres beyond just the usual rock offerings.

    The Spot Lite owner purchased the building earlier this year through a multi-year land contract after hearing that previous owner Dion Fischer and his partners were ready to move on, according to WDET. Under a newly formed hospitality group Lite House, UFO BAR will operate under the management of David and the team at Spot Lite.

    Cheers to a new era! 

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    Layla McMurtrie

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  • Detroit’s UFO Factory is closing

    Detroit’s UFO Factory is closing

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    The UFO Factory will soon close, its owners say.

    The popular rock ’n’ roll venue and bar announced the closure Monday on Instagram, saying that the last day of business will be Saturday, June 15.

    “[We] are getting out of the bar/restaurant/venue biz!” the Instagram post reads. “it’s been a real cool time but we are moving on to other projects – it’s time! we will miss the music, art, fun, and the #ufopeople most of all, of course […]”

    It sounds like the venue, located at 2110 Trumbull, could still operate in a new form under new owners.

    “[What’s] next to come at 2110 Trumbull???” the owners wrote. “All will be revealed soon soon soon and fear not if you loved OUR #ufoFACTORY you are likely to be pleased with the next evolution (more info coming soon🤔).”

    UFO Factory owners Dion Fischer, Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, and Matthew Bihun acquired the former Hoot Robinson’s bar in 2010, which had been a watering hole for baseball fans until 1994, when Tiger Stadium was in the neighborhood. It opened as UFO Factory in 2014.

    Instagram, @ufofactory

    Some of the “#ufopeople.”

    The venue soon became a beloved Detroit spot known for booking indie rock bands and DJ nights. Its quirky gender-neutral bathrooms had also become a favorite selfie destination for hipsters, which were routinely reposted on the UFO Factory’s Instagram page with the hashtag “#ufopeople.”

    The business also included a gourmet hot dog restaurant, Laika Dog (named after the first dog sent to space, in keeping with the interstellar theme).

    In 2017, a construction crew for the next-door Elton Park mixed-use development damaged a UFO Factory wall, forcing the venue to close for more than a year. The club opened 15 months later following a $400,000 renovation funded by its insurance policy.

    Fischer could not immediately be reached for comment.

    The owners say that UFO Factory will keep regular hours for its remaining weeks in business, with a number of events planned.

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    Lee DeVito

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