After several months adrift, short-lived West Village wine and charcuterie bar Brix has finally found a new address. Owner Mikiah Westbrooks says she plans to resettle her business in the B. Siegel department store development at the corner of 7 Mile and Livernois.
Brix opened its doors in August 2017 after two years of planning, but was forced to vacate a year later due to a dispute with landlord Banyan Investments. At the time Westbrooks had alluded to a possible relocation to New Center, but tells Eater that she eventually abandoned that opportunity to join the Avenue of Fashion’s growing business district. “I think it’s a great project with great potential. 7 Mile and Livernois has always been a very progressive area,” Westbrooks says. “I think it’s a great neighborhood and the whole idea is to stay in the neighborhood, so that just made perfect sense.”
The B. Siegel development project is being spearheaded by Matt Hessler, who previously redeveloped the property housing Iconic Tattoo, the Peterboro, and 8 Degrees Plato Detroit in Cass Corridor. The plans call for a mixed-use development with 10 residential units, 20,500 square feet of commercial storefront, and 29 underground parking spaces, according to Curbed Detroit.
Westbrooks says Brix will occupy a 1,600-square-foot space — slightly larger than the previous bar. The business was previously the recipient of a Motor City Match award in West Village and recently won a new award for design through the city’s small business program. Although Brix is returning, Westbrooks is planning to make some tweaks to the bar’s format. “I really want to focus on the wine program. I want it to be a bit stronger,” she says. “I will still continue to carry moderately priced wines, but I want to dive into some higher-end wines.” Westbrooks adds that she also intends to fold in a wine concierge service and will devote even more attention to events.
As for the timeline on the project, Westbrook says it will depend largely on when the property development is completed. She hopes to get into the space by early fall, but doesn’t have a firm date. Stay tuned for more updates on the project as it moves forward.
• 7.Liv Development Breaks Ground at Old B. Siegel Department Store [CDET]
• West Village’s Neighborhood Wine Bar Will Relocate to New Center in 2019 [ED]
• All Brix Coverage [ED]