Daily Detroit News Byte

What does it take to run a bar and restaurant? When Owen Burke and his business partner Tony Piraino first ran a bar called Pulse in 2005, the building they were leasing got demolished by the city for future progress.  So they changed concepts, got a hold of a historic building in Greektown, and opened Firebird Tavern in 2013. A decade in one concept is quite the accomplishment in their industry. And recently, they expanded with a second location in Troy, Michigan. In this honest conversation at the Daily Detroit studio at TechTown, we talk about the ups, the challenges, and a lot more. Show notes: 02:21 - History of the building in Greektown and introductions 06:17 - Why do a second location in Troy? 06:44 - The harsh impact of COVID on business, and the long-term changes 08:02 - Traffic feels down in Downtown Detroit to 2008, pre-bankruptcy levels and patterns 10:51 - Extensive plans to convert Monroe Street to be more pedestrian friendly, thoughts and impact 11:51 - The timing of I-375 project matters and