Detroit's UFO Factory to become UFO Bar under new ownership
(CBS DETROIT) – UFO Factory will host a farewell party on Saturday as its current owners sold the space.
The new owner, Roula David, says it will be known as UFO Bar.
For many creatives in Detroit, the establishment at 2110 Trumbull St. is their watering hole.
Although the name is changing, customers will still see the familiar faces behind the bar. The hot dogs aren't going away, and neither is the music, and it's all because some of the regulars asked David a simple question.
"Our team was like, 'Can you please save this place for us? Because it's really important to us,'" David said.
And that got David looking at the Corktown staple.
CBS News Detroit met the entrepreneur who loves music at "Spot Lite Detroit," which she opened up on the city's East Side three years ago.
"There's so many similarities to what they do and what we do. But it's like a little bit more punk rock, and it's a little bit more rock and roll. And it's a different layer of underground than even what Spot Lite is. And so we really want to preserve that," David said.
The food truck outside Spot Lite, known as 'Gladys Nite,' will go to UFO Bar to continue serving the favorites.
"Like the vegan dogs and the tater tots, but we're probably just going to add a little bit more of a made-from-scratch situation. So, all of our sauces here are made from scratch, all of our toppings. So we'll keep it the same, but we'll kind of add a little fresh spin to it," David said.
And expect to hear some more records spinning under the rebrand.
"I think there will probably focus on Detroit music and on Rock and Roll, which we just bought a collection recently — I think my husband bought it— from Ohio, and it's a huge rock collection specifically; we're taking it to UFO Bar," David said.
David will take possession of the space once the liquor license transfer is finalized.
They plan to stick to the current days and hours of operations with the hope that in the future, they can offer brunch on Saturdays and Sundays and be open for lunch during the weekdays next spring.
"We're just so excited to be part of yet another iconic Detroit neighborhood," David said.
