Volunteers prepare for Ypsi PRIDE Day
May. 13, 2010 · 7:09 a.m.
Each year, residents in and around the city of Ypsilanti carry on a tradition started by a group of community members enrolled in a city leadership program, a sort...read more
Bicycles zoom as flowers bloom
Apr. 30, 2010 · 2:11 p.m.
The weather has turned, the trees are budding and the flowers are popping out of the ground; time for a cruise through town. But don’t be so quick to hop in the...read more
Sheriff Clayton visits Ypsilanti Township
Apr. 29, 2010 · 12:59 p.m.
About 50 Ypsilanti Township residents gave the Washtenaw County Sheriff Office their input about law enforcement in the community Tuesday evening.
The information...read more
Local photographer raising funds for Ypsi Project exhibit
Apr. 20, 2010 · 2:20 a.m.
Ypsilanti has many faces, and Erica Hampton wants to share a few of them with you.
Over the past year, Hampton created the The Ypsi Project, a series of portraits...read more
Savoy taking shape as live music venue
Apr. 17, 2010 · 2:38 p.m.
Ypsilanti's newest concert venue is preparing for its grand opening weekend April 23, more than a month after its soft opening March 13.
Formerly Club Divine,...read more
Photo by Dan DuChene
Tap Room owner Brian Brickley stands in the new addition to his bar, a two-year project set to open as a game area Monday.
Owner says game area connecting to Annex opening Monday
Feb. 24, 2009 · 1:46 a.m.
--Updated at 2:18 p.m. on Feb. 24, 2009--
One of the anticipated developments downtown will soon come to fruition, as work on the Tap Room will finish up this week.
Once home to Fast Eddie’s Music Store, now located across Michigan Avenue, the area between the Tap Room and the Tap Room Annex is expected to open for business Monday.
Brian Brickley, who owns the Tap Room, said the space will be used as a game area and will connect both of the establishments along the south side of Michigan Avenue. Two pool tables, a shuffle board table, a new juke box, some pinball machines and additional seating will be located in the new room.
Another draw for the new area Brickley pointed out was the bar's ability to bring back its open mic night. He said the program will be featured every Monday in the new addition. He said the event hasn't been a regular program at the Tap Room since 2004.
Brickley said he took “great strides” to preserve the original Tap Room’s atmosphere.
“You won’t notice much difference,” he said of the original establishment on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Washington Street.
It took two years to add three archways connecting all the areas, replace the floor, restore the ceiling and walls and prepare the addition for business. Two new bathrooms will be located in the new addition, which Brickley intends to eventually replace the two bathrooms in the original establishment.
He said the pool table in the back of the bar will be replaced with darts, which is currently located along the wall across from the bar.
“Thanks for all the support,” Brickley said to the community.
“With rare exception, most of the work was done by customers,” he said. “It took an incredible amount of work.”
Brickley opened the Annex in 2004, which allowed for a full service kitchen and seating for 93, up from 69. He expects this addition to allow up to 200 people in the entire establishment.
With work going on at the Tap Room and Pub 13’s owner David Curtis working to open a Mongolian barbeque during the past years, there have been rumors of an unofficial race between the two bars to see who gets done first.
“It’s been customer driven,” Curtis said of the race. “It’s fun, what we do downtown.”
Not wanting to be prophetic, Brickley reluctantly said, “I think I did,” when asked if he was going to win the race.
Curtis said he is finishing up the inspections on his restaurant, and hopes to open soon.
“We have everything in there we need,” he said.
© 2010 The Mojo News Group - Ypsilanti Citizen Home - About Ypsilanti Citizen - Contact Us - Advertising - Calendar - Archives - Terms of Use
