Up until a couple of weeks ago, "Sky Bar" was a bit of a misnomer, what with the bar and lounge being located on the ground floor of the David Stott Building in downtown Detroit.
"We are in the process of a rebranding," says Marshal Simons of Impakt Digital, community manager of
SkyBar & Lounge. "When the owners first opened they were new at the bar industry and wanted to get in on the ground level of Detroit" … so to speak.
Owner Lynn Kassotis, president of the Florida-based real estate company CID Investments (which owns the building), fell in love with the art deco architecture of the 37-story David Stott Building and was drawn to the space on the 33rd floor, but because of issues with the sprinkler system they were not able to get a liquor license and open in the upper-floor space initially. They now have a 180-day temporary approval of occupancy as they complete the final necessary repairs, and are currently open on Fridays and Saturdays offering unparalleled 300-degree views of downtown Detroit and the Detroit River.
Prior to opening they completely stripped the 33rd floor space down to the studs and totally restored it with a granite and marble bar, tile floors, and three private rooms including a plush library with leather chairs and an oak bookcase. One of the rooms is also designed as a cigar lounge with the proper air filtration system, though they have not yet been approved for the cigar licensing.
The ground floor space, which has been the bar's home for a little over a year, is now undergoing a half-million dollar renovation and expansion which includes a new stage built in partnership with
WDET. They hope to have this renovation completed in the next few weeks. There will be live music downstairs on weekends while upstairs will be more relaxed with music played over their internal speaker system. Both floors will continue to offer an upscale environment for drinks and small plates.
Source: Marshal Simons of Impakt Digital, community manager of SkyBar & Lounge.
Writer: Nicole Rupersburg
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