Anne and Andy Copp and Jamie and Kristen Schmunk with the staff at their 42 North Social House. | Photo courtesy of Kimberly Sheldon
A nineteenth-century Arts and Crafts farmhouse built by a president’s brother has been inaugurated for a fifth term as a restaurant. Upscale casual dining at 42 North Social House succeeds the Fillmore Bar & Grill, which followed Terry B’s, Tuscan House, and Cousins Heritage Inn.
When Andy Copp and Jamie Schmunk saw the Fillmore was for sale, “it took all of two seconds for us to agree that it was a good location that we were interested in,” Copp says. “So we jumped right on it.” They’ve softened the space, both physically and acoustically, with cushioned seating and soundproofing, adding fire pits outdoors and a glassed-in dining room for private parties.
“We wanted it to be a real social gathering place,” says Schmunk, whose wife Kristen came up with the compass logo and latitude-based name. They can seat about a hundred inside and as many on the patio and deck areas, where they’ll eventually create more enclosure to extend the outdoor dining season.
Related: History: Calvin Fillmore
Terry B’s Sold
Kristen Schmunk and Jamie’s wife Anne are sisters and third-generation owners of property management firm Wilson White. Their husbands run it and also are partners in restaurant group Mainstreet Ventures, which handles the day-to-day on their behalf.
They aim to attract special-occasion diners as well as those just looking to go out for dinner—or pick it up using dedicated carryout parking spaces. A social hour, weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m., offers small plates and drinks for between $3 and $9, and they expect to add weekend brunch beginning in October.
The menu is strong on seafood and healthier options—a dinner of scallops, with guajillo chile, white cheddar grit cakes, and citrus avocado relish, includes a soup or salad for $34.99. For traditionalists, the butcher’s burger ($17.99) of brisket, short rib, chuck, and Wagyu ribeye comes with white cheddar, caramelized onions, and fries or house-made salt and vinegar chips. A reconfigured bar area serves a range of specialty cocktails. Kids menu options are all $9.99, including drinks. For dessert, Schmunk singles out the “ginormous” carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, pecans, and warm bourbon butterscotch.
Given today’s challenges in the restaurant industry—from higher food costs, changing consumer trends, and the imminent increase in the state’s minimum wage for tipped workers—the partners weren’t hunting for a new hospitality venture. “But this is in our backyard,” Copp says. “We really feel that there’s a need there, and we’re committed to doing the best job that we can.”
Related: Tipping Point
42 North Social House, 7954 Ann Arbor St., Dexter. (734) 212–2001. Mon.–Thurs. 4 p.m.–10 p.m., Fri. 4 p.m.–11 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–9 p.m. 42northsocial.com