Restaurants, Bars, and Grocery Stores Advance to the Finals in the Hatch Detroit Competition

Hatch finalists confirmed

Food businesses dominated the top four in 2018’s Comerica Hatch Detroit small business contest. The contest announced on August 17 that grocery startup Neighborhood Grocery, vegan restaurant Paradise Natural Foods, gourmet slider restaurant Slyde, and Latin American restaurant and mezcal bar Toma Detroit would advance to the final round of the contest. The businesses, which are vying for $50,000 in funding for their brick-and-mortar storefronts as well as startup support valued at $200,000, were selected by public voting. Voting will continue through August 24 and the contest will culminate with a Shark Tank-style pitch event on August 30 where a winner will be selected.

Beloved vegetarian restaurant prepares to close

Vegetarian restaurant owner Amber Poupore announced on Friday that her Shelby Township vegetarian restaurant the Clean Plate will close its doors on September 26. Poupore attributed the shutter of a dispute with the landlord over the terms of the Clean Plate’s lease. “Unfortunately at this time I do not have the resources available to cover the overwhelming cost of relocating the restaurant,” Poupore wrote in a Facebook post, asking customers to contribute to the business’s GoFundMe account. The Clean Plate has raised more than $2,800 so far towards its $500,000 goal. Poupore also owns Cacao Tree Cafe in Royal Oak.

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