Dennis Webster, the last of four partners who founded the Earle in 1977, says he “wasn’t really ready to let it go until I knew that there were people that were going to take it over and continue the restaurant, continue to make it a success, and continue to be a part of the community.”

That time has arrived.

Wine director Caitlin Buquet, an advanced sommelier, and executive chef Jason Buquet are the new owners. With a combined fifty years at the Earle, the two U-M grads each worked their way up from entry-level roles to the leadership positions they’ve held since 2018.

And like dozens of employees over the decades, they found a love partnership working there too. The married couple welcomed their second child earlier this year.

They started dating in 2004, when Caitlin was a host, and Jason noticed she was reading The Elegant Universe, a pop-science exploration of string theory. “So I started talking to her about it, and then I was like, ‘Oh well, I guess I gotta read this book, right?’ Because this girl is really interesting.”

The title could apply as well to the Earle, a fine dining destination in the stone, wood, and brick basement of a former hotel bearing that name. (The Earle building was sold last year, and its three upper floors are being converted from commercial to residential use.)

Caitlin’s predecessor, Steve Goldberg, developed their renowned wine and beverage program, which includes a cellar holding more than 9,000 bottles. Jason (aka “Chef Jay”) cultivated his kitchen chops under longtime chef Shelley Adams, now retired. Perennial favorites among the provincial French and Italian fare are the duck breasts, lamb chops, and whitefish.

Flashback: The $45 Bottle of Wine (June 2011)

Diners continue to enjoy live music five nights a week, including Friday and Saturday jazz from the Rick Burgess Trio, named for its late pianist and Earle cofounder.

Caitlin remembers childhood days sipping Shirley Temples and snacking on goldfish pretzels and mussels at the bar, as her mother was a wine rep who frequently called on Goldberg.

Flashback: The Earle (Dec. 2010)

She now aims to maintain the familiarity appreciated by the Earle’s devoted clientele while appealing more to new generations amid an increasingly residential downtown. Expanding happy hour offerings with more experimental small plates and shareables is one element of their strategy.

She says financing the purchase didn’t prove problematic. 

“Everyone we talked to told us that the restaurant business is risky for lenders, but this is the type of restaurant that is the exception.”

The Earle, 121 W. Washington. (734) 994–0211. Tues.–Thurs. 5 p.m.–8:30 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 5 p.m.–9:30 p.m., Sun. 5 p.m.–8 p.m. Closed Mon. theearle.com

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