Ford’s Garage, designed as a neighborhood gourmet burger restaurant that caters to automotive enthusiasts, car clubs, and the general public, will open a 250-seat location along Michigan Avenue in Dearborn by the end of June. Ford Motor Co. officially licenses the restaurant.
The new structure, which will be joined by a coffee shop in the fall, is designed after the early automotive days of the 1920s and 1930s. There will be replicas of Ford Model Ts, Model As, an array of memorabilia, two bars, and regional food selections in addition to a standard menu. Interior features include the use of brick, dark-stained wood, and copper bar tops.
Neumann/Smith Architecture, which has offices in downtown Detroit and Southfield, is the architect of record for Ford’s Garage.
The menu offers numerous gourmet burgers, steaks, pastas, ribs, meatloaf, fish and chips, salads, appetizers, and desserts (including a Sanders hot fudge sundae). The burgers range in price from around $10 to $14, with names playing off of Ford’s heritage such as The Model “A,” The Low Carburetor, and The High Octane Burger.
Ford Motor Land Development Corp. in Dearborn owns the land and building. The franchisee and operator is Billy Downs, who founded BD’s Mongolian Grill in 1992 and built it up to 37 restaurants before selling the operation in 2008. Since that time, Downs has served as a restaurant consultant and worked with World Vision, a nonprofit organization that supports humanitarian work in impoverished areas around the globe, with a focus on providing clean water.
“The restaurant celebrates the heritage and history of Ford Motor Co., and it will have a wide appeal across the region and state,” says Downs, owner of Ford’s Garage Dearborn. “We are in the process of hiring 150 people, and in the fall we will open a banquet room for 75 people and a neighboring coffee shop.”
A 50-seat patio will be offered, as well. There will be a selection of 150 beers, including more than 30 craft beers from Michigan. The restaurant operation got its start in Florida, with locations in Cape Coral, Ft. Myers, Estero, Brandon, Lutz, and Wesley Chapel.
“We invite car clubs and other motor-themed clubs to visit the restaurant, display their vehicles, and have fun,” Downs says. “I’m proud to work with Ford Motor Land to bring Ford’s Garage to Michigan for the first time. The location along Michigan Avenue, just west of Evergreen Road, is ideal.”
The restaurant is located at 21367 Michigan Ave. For more information, click here.
