ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (CelebrityAccess) — A Detroit saloon owner is working to reopen an old movie theater in the Detroit suburb of St. Clair Shores as a restaurant and music venue.
According to the Detroit Free Press, David Harden, owner of the Butter Run Saloon in St. Clair Shores, has acquired the historic Shores Theatre at Nine Mile and Mack in downtown St. Clair Shores and is currently remodeling the property.
He told the newspaper that his original concept as a concert hall failed to get approval from the city over parking concerns but a revised plan that includes a restaurant as well has been approved.
Harden told the Free Press that the entertainment venue would take up approximately half of the 9,500 square foot ground floor, with an additional 1,900 square feet that will feature a private dining area and a balcony overlooking the performance space.
Harden told the Free Press that he was inspired to launch the venue after attending the beer and music festival Rockin’ the Shores in 2018.
The Shores Theater, which was originally opened in the 1930s, closed in 2006. Harden said construction is in process and he expects it to be complete in about 19 months.
“Next step is demolition and remodeling … the screens are gone, the chairs are going to be gone. It’s going to be time-consuming. I’m going to have to level off the floor because it being a theater it slopes. That will be the hardest thing to do … it’ll be a lot like when I did the Butter Run. I’m going to do a lot of the work myself,” Harden told the newspaper.
