One door closes; another opens

Popular Ferndale restaurant Public House, 241 W. Nine Mile Road, will be winding down operations in February, after more than a decade of serving as a neighborhood gathering spot and Metro Detroit brunch destination. Opened in 2013 as a classic American heritage bar, Public House quickly became a neighborhood gathering spot known for its gourmet sliders and craft cocktails, until its initial closure during the COVID 19 pandemic. The location was reopened in 2021 under Ferndale-based Hometown Restaurant Group, which added a second kitchen, a four-season garden room and a focus on vegan fare. In mid-February, Sidecar Slider Bar will be taking over operations at the location, remodeling and opening very quickly. “This was a very difficult decision, and a heartbreaking decision,” said Hometown Restaurant Group CEO Brian Kramer. “The restaurant business is very difficult right now. In my 30-plus years in the restaurant business, I’ve never experienced a tougher economy than what we are experiencing today. Add to this the high food costs, high labor costs, intense competition, the need for constant quality control, tight profit margins and endless hours of work — we just agreed the time was right to close the restaurant, take a step back, focus on our other restaurant operations and give someone else a chance to re-concept the location.” 241 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale sidecarsliderbar.com