Hungry Howie’s closed its W. Michigan Ave. store and reopened at the end of April about a mile down the road on E. Michigan. Husband-and-wife owners Patrick Shannon and Carole King-Shannon wanted a more central location. While some might think its new strip-mall site behind the CVS is still a little off the beaten path, the first week of business proved otherwise.
“Our sales went up 40 percent in one week,” says Patrick. “We never got any foot traffic in the old location, but now we have customers from every direction, employees from CVS, Busch’s, the dance studio, and the post office. I even had someone from city hall come in. That never happened at our old location, and we were there for sixteen years,” he laughs.
Patrick met Carole in 1987 when he managed a Hungry Howie’s in Taylor: “I hired Carole to work in that store.” Married since 1991, the couple now owns three Hungry Howie’s: the others are in Milan and Monroe.
Unlike the old location that had no seating, the new store has comfortable stools at two high-top counters. Bright yellow tiles with a glass sheen and even brighter white grout line the walls. Modern pendant lights illuminate freshly installed wood laminate flooring that makes the small space feel bright and cozy. “Just about everything is brand new, including high-efficiency appliances,” says Shannon.
Jerry Tubbs, who owns the new Stony Lake Brewery, joins the chorus of Hungry Howie’s retail neighbors happy to have a pizza joint just steps away. “We’re pretty excited about Hungry Howie’s opening,” says Tubbs. “It’s super convenient to have it and lots of other area restaurants that offer take-out so close by.”
Hungry Howie’s, 439 E. Michigan Ave., 944-9188. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 11 a.m -10 p.m.
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After twelve years in business, Spotted Dog Winery closed its doors for good at the end of April. “It’s the right time,” says John Olsen. He and his wife, Jill, opened the winery back in 2003 in downtown Saline. They later moved to a larger space on Woodland Dr.
Spotted Dog was named in honor of the couple’s beloved and spotted Dalmatians: Holmes and Watson. John left his former career in computers to run the winery, while his wife Jill kept her job as a health care consultant. In the winery’s colorful showroom just days before selling off the last of its equipment and fixtures, John reflects on what it was like leaving his corporate job a dozen years ago to open a winery.
“I like to say it was hobby meets midlife crises.” The business took off and was good for many years. Wines named for their dogs, like “Watson White” or “Spotless White,” were in stores all over southeast Michigan. But keeping up the pace meant dealing with looming overhauls. “We were looking at having to replace giant equipment and undertake other expensive upgrades,” and he says they weren’t ready for such a commitment. “Lots of our loyal customers wish we wouldn’t close,” he says, and they had hoped one of their long-term employees might take over the business, but then the employee’s husband was transferred out of state.
So what’s next?
“We’re about to have our first grandchild,” says John, his face lighting up. “It’s pretty exciting.”