Red Corridor Bar Bows Out of Corktown

Red Corridor, the bar and grill that took over the former Casey’s Pub space last fall, has closed its doors in Corktown after just under a year of business. The bar announced its closure on Friday evening in a post to Facebook, stating that its final night of service would be November 25. The owners wrote in a follow up post on Sunday:

It's been an amazing year! We have met some of the best folks Detroit has to offer. You will all be missed! A special thank you to everyone who came out last night! We appreciate your support, and it was great to see you all.

Red Corridor had a somewhat rocky year. Owner Johnny Irwin initially was slated to open the bar with Bobcat Bonnie’s Matthew Buskard. However, Buskard parted ways with the project following controversy over the original name and disagreements over the direction of the bar.

In May, Red Corridor suffered another bout of bad press after Irwin lashed out in a profanity-laced tirade at a customer who left a negative Facebook review for the bar that criticized menu items like the “basic bitch salad.” Irwin did eventually release an statement of apology, but later seemed to lean in to Red Corridor’s tarnished reputation by selling coffee mugs emblazoned with expletives.

Andrea Relkin, who operated Casey’s Pub, still owns the building. Casey’s was one of three restaurant and bar buildings that went up for sale in Corktown in 2016. It initially listed at $499,900, but the listing was taken down after the bar’s revamp. Eater is reaching out for more details on the future of the space.

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