9 hours ago
A Former Church Garage Gives Way to a Wine and Cocktail Bar in Detroit's East Village
Father Forgive Me, for I am about to spend an ungodly amount of summer (and money) at Detroit's newest cocktail and wine bar. After just one pilgrimage, it already feels like a sacred ritual.
The garage doors of the former church garage-turned-bar officially reopened to the public on Saturday, June 7. Father Forgive Me, a new cocktail and wine bar from the hospitality group behind Standby, Deluxx Fluxx, and the Skip, is located in the former garage of the Shepherd Detroit. The bar is part of the Library Street Collective's Little Village campus, which spans 3.5 acres in Detroit's East Village neighborhood. The campus also includes the Shepherd, Charles McGee Legacy Park, a skate park designed by artist McArthur Binion and skating legend (and sometimes Detroiter) Tony Hawk, a bed and breakfast called ALEO (named for the angel, lion, eagle and ox depicted in Pewabic tiles on the former church's altar) and the Lantern building, a redevelopment down the street that also houses the relocated Cøllect beer bar.
The Romanesque-style church dates back to 1911 and was in operation until 2016, meaning the property was in relatively good condition when acquired by Library Street Collective founders Anthony and JJ Curis. Architecture firm Peterson Rich Office and Holly Jonsson Studio redesigned the space.
Walking up the gravel entrance to the campus, guests are guided to an outdoor patio that wraps around Father Forgive Me, with a variety of relaxed seating options, including benches made from local white oak trees surrounding a fire pit. Inside, the oak bar and custom millwork done by Surfing Cowboy Studio glow under daylight and transition to the soft hue of small oil lamps as evening approaches. Full table service is available in the bar's outdoor and indoor spaces, and on busier days, a horse trailer near the back of the building opens to serve draft wine and cocktails for guests looking to roam the gravel and grass areas with drinks in hand. However, alcohol is not permitted at the adjoining skate park.
Directly across from the Shepherd and Father Forgive Me, two residential homes have been transformed into commercial spaces by Detroit-based design firm Undecorated. One will soon house the new location of Warda Pâtisserie, run by James Beard Award-winning chef Warda Bouguettaya. Warda is also behind some of the bar snacks at Father Forgive Me. The snacks menu at the bar includes a twisty French pastry called sacristan (which literally means a person in charge of church ceremonial equipment — a subtle wink to the location), sliced Mother Loaf baguette topped with Brie, ham, and jams, and a mortadella sandwich made on crispy, salty focaccia from Rising Stars Academy.
Bartender and owner Joe Robinson's a little rusty when it comes to wines, having spent most of his career in the cocktail world, which is why he brought in beverage director Dan Reinisch, previously of SheWolf Pastificio & Bar, to lead the wine program. Wines will rotate, but right now the prices range from $12 to $15 by the glass and $45 to $125 by the bottle, with offerings from Italy, Croatia, California, Portugal, Germany, Oregon, and France.
'I love a lot of the super classic, more buttoned-up, structured wines — the ones where the tannins and acid have punch and purpose alongside food,' Reinisch says. 'But these are all meant to be drinkable on their own, and obviously they pair with food, but there's an important kind of yumminess that needs to exist with them on their own.' He continues: 'We're aiming for approachable flavors that might come from a place you've never heard of, or be made from a grape you can't pronounce, but when it hits your nose and palate, it should still feel comfortable.'
General Manager Ryan Sparks, formerly Supergeil and Two James, and Robinson have been working on a cocktail menu that shares an ethos with the artwork, as well as throughout the grounds of the Shepherd. The beverages are meant to hit all of the notes for everyone with prices ranging from $12 to $16 and flavors from sweet and refreshing to spirit-forward. Each drink highlights an interesting component that invokes conversation; for the Magnolia Martini, all the blooms come from Sparks' backyard magnolia tree and are pickled to produce vinegar he made for the martini.
The cocktail and wine bar is a hyperlocal hub powered by a crew of beverage nerds who live and breathe cocktails, wine, food, and craft. The experience begins close and personal like being let in on a secret. But when those good Detroit summer days hit, the energy spills out across the grounds of the Shepherd, weaving through the art-filled halls and garden, open-air walkways, and gathering spots across the campus.
'Some drinks also highlight local, in-season produce — like our rhubarb milk punch, made with rhubarb from Joe at Lone Light Spirits in Ferndale. We're working with local makers and artisans whenever we can,' Sparks says.
In addition to cocktails, the bar team at Father Forgive Me is also offering seven to 10 nonalcoholic drinks, including a rosé that's served on draft and utilizes watermelon rinds, over-steeped tea, and a centrifuged strawberry broth.
'It's important to me, I'm almost three years alcohol-free, which as a bar manager is an interesting place to be,' Sparks adds. 'I'll still taste spirits and I love the educational aspect, but I also love doing this job, and I want to do it for a long time.'
Father Forgive Me is located at 1265 Parkview St. in Detroit , open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Friday; noon to 12:30 a.m. Saturday; and noon to 11 p.m. Sunday.
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