Four Recent Detroit-Area Restaurant and Bar Closures to Know

One of metro Detroit’s few cafes dedicated primarily to tea has closed its doors permanently after the landowner sold the property. Eli Tea, owned by Eli Majid, remained a stalwart for 10 years for offering more than 100 varieties of loose-leaf tea from its shop in Birmingham, supplying local coffee shops with their tea needs, and later launching a queer-friendly sober space in Chicago. Meanwhile, some longtime local barbecue joints have exited the food scene, citing similar challenges with property ownership. The Shutter, a regular roundup of Detroit and metro Detroit’s restaurant closures, is your resource to find out what’s on its way out. The list is by no means comprehensive. Have information on another closing? Send all tips to detroit@eater.com. BIRMINGHAM — Eli Tea (108 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham), the original flagship location that opened in late 2014 by Eater Young Guns alum Eli Majid, has closed permanently as of Tuesday, April 22. Majid, a trained botanist who earned his degree from Loyola University in Chicago, went on to open an Eli Tea location in Chicago as a queer-friendly sober space. ROYAL OAK — Lockhart’s BBQ (202 E. 3rd Street, Royal Oak), the longtime barbecue spot in Royal Oak served its final customers on Sunday, April 20, after 15 years in service. In a Facebook post published on Friday, April 11, ownership said that the establishment’s lease was expiring and that renewing was no longer affordable. WARREN — Victory Inn (28950 Mound Road, Warren), which for more than 75 years served a largely working-class clientele, closed on Monday, April 14, to make room for a Sheetz gas station location. According to the Detroit News, the watering hole was named Victory in recognition of the U.S.’s win in World War II. ROSEVILLE — Lazybones Smokehouse (27475 Groesbeck Highway, Roseville), a destination for barbecue for 20 years, has closed as of Saturday, April 12. In a Facebook post published on Saturday, April 5, the ownership said that while the restaurant was closing, the barbecue will live on through the company’s food truck, which will be set up at BrownIron Brewhouse locations in Royal Oak and Washington Township. The post also noted that the property was sold to Lazybones’ neighbor, Ryder Truck.