After receiving approval for a liquor license from the State of Michigan, the owners of the former Baile Corcaigh bar and restaurant at 1426 Bagley in Corktown say they plan to open the pub's doors soon -- possibly by the end of August.
Celeste Belanger, who co-owns the bar with siblings Jerry Belanger of Park Bar and sister Colette, are still undecided on the building's moniker -- Kavanaugh's, an early favorite (and the family name of the Belanger's grandmother), is still under consideration.
"Opening this bar, it's really like coming full circle for me," Belanger says. Displayed on the wall is a remnant from Baile Corcaigh -- an autographed memento of the establishment's opening staff, including Celeste herself, one of the establishment's first bartenders.
"I've worked in the restaurant industry for 25 years, and I never wanted to own my own business," Celeste says. She had her heart set on a waterfront home within the city, when the opportunity to purchase the Baile Corcaigh building proved too much to resist.
While the name will change, fans of the Baile Corcaigh's stone fireplace, wood-paneled walls and custom-made bar should be happy to know the Belangers have kept nearly all of the building's Irish decor intact. Only deep cleaning and a few wall clearances for aesthetic purposes were necessary to bring the 1956 building, which offers about 2,000 sq. ft. of space, back to serving shape.
Belanger says the pub will be open Thursday thru Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. during the fall, with plans to extend hours as the business grows. There are also tentative plans to open the kitchen for dinner service within the next year.
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Source: Celeste Belanger, co-owner, Baile Corcaigh building
Writer: Ashley C. Woods
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