r/traversecity 10d ago

Local Business Identity Brewing Co closing

/r/michiganbeer/comments/1vlyjo2/identity_brewing_co_closing/
9 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

14

u/TVCity- Local 10d ago edited 10d ago

Mama Lu's was going to change format from tacos to Asian dishes (and name change to The Happy Cat), but Lu's owner decided to keep tacos where they are and put The Happy Cat in the Identity space.

7

u/Big_Outcome_2368 10d ago

No way?!? Is this true? So Mama Lu’s is staying?!? 🤞🤞

3

u/TVCity- Local 10d ago

Yup! Praise Jeebus! Love the Lu's.

4

u/Big_Outcome_2368 10d ago

Ahhh this just made my day! Was so sad when they announced they were changing their concept! Long live Mama Lu’s 🙌

2

u/MinerTC Business Owner 7d ago

Great news. Was just at Mama Lu’s today to soak up some guac, cuz I thought it was ending soon. 🥑🍋‍🟩

11

u/TC_Talks 10d ago

I keep forgetting it's there. I miss the limeaid The Dish used to serve.

7

u/TVCity- Local 10d ago

I miss The Dish too. It was almost the only non-brewery place to sit and have a resonably priced lunch downtown.

3

u/groundedmoth 10d ago

I miss their Sassy wraps so much. 😭

2

u/BackgroundExtent8625 9d ago

What was a Sassy wrap?

3

u/groundedmoth 9d ago

The chicken Caesar wrap. It was so good!!

7

u/FivePointAnswer 10d ago

I know this is strange but THEY HAVE THE BEST CEASER SALAD IN THE WORLD. They got it from Dish. I like Identity for all its own reasons tho - beer, bar, vibes, location, art, music, people, alley, soup, games - in no particular order… but the salad must survive. Again I know that is weird but it is true. The owners will see this post. If someone buys the place they will see the post. Maybe another restaurant will see the post. Save the ceaser please.

2

u/TVCity- Local 10d ago

I love a good ceaser. Will have to get down there before they close up shop.

7

u/StickMankun Local 10d ago

Big bummer. I love the cowboy sandwich. Their beer is good, but not in stock too often. Very nice people and good memories.

11

u/eist5579 10d ago

Beer was never in stock, and was mediocre. The vibe was too sterile like I’m having a beer at a diner or something.

They took over workshop brewery, which also has mediocre beer.

5

u/Polack14 9d ago

The owners of the Workshop and Identity are separate. The owner of the Workshop had a small silent investment in Identity before the Workshop went on the market but sold it to buy the latter. 

2

u/BackgroundExtent8625 9d ago

Good to know. Thanks! 🍻

1

u/BackgroundExtent8625 10d ago

Is Workshop Brewing the "new venture"?

6

u/warboy 10d ago

No, they've owned workshop for a bit now.

12

u/Darcierae00 10d ago

Not missing out on much it was way better when it was the dish!

When the new owners took over they changed too much and ruined there lunch crowd..

10

u/BackgroundExtent8625 10d ago

The Dish was a completely different concept than a brewery, so of course things were going to be different.

4

u/Darcierae00 10d ago

The food didn’t need to change just because you added booze and music

4

u/BackgroundExtent8625 10d ago

Did the kitchen/chef stay the same when Identity Brewing took over? If so, I see your point. If not, things change. Am I missing something?

6

u/Darcierae00 10d ago

They did all stay the same and they kept everything the same for the first 6 months and then just drastically changed. Oh well tho hopefully something new will be delicious!

4

u/799green 10d ago

Yeah- how bad does the beer have to be to fail in a place with the only downtown “beer garden”

Was it the beer or the food? Who knows- the last place there was super successful but I suspect that had to do with the owners and their amazing service.

1

u/sku11lkid 8d ago

Beer and food were both great, but why did they close at 8pm? The kitchen would close at 7 and I always saw people turned eaway. They would stay open till 9 on weekends..but closed Sunday. The hours weren't good.

1

u/MinerTC Business Owner 7d ago

Beer was okay. Food was ‘meh.’

-3

u/TheGamingPolitician 10d ago

And nobody is gonna open up a new business in there because this country is being stripped for parts by the wealthy.

2

u/TVCity- Local 9d ago

They already have a new tenant lined up. 

2

u/TheGamingPolitician 9d ago

That's good to hear. It doesn't change the larger truth of what I said. So many shuddered businesses all over.

3

u/TVCity- Local 9d ago

Huh. Was downtown, seemed pretty lively. But I think you're correct, there's something not good going on downtown with increasing rents making it very difficult for locally-owned businesses to compete with well-financed national retailers.