WE LOVE HAVING YOU HERE!
I hope you have been enjoying summer as much as we have. Since re-opening our outdoor seating in mid-May, it’s been feeling like a party around here. The energy of a packed outdoor dining area is a welcome change from the isolation of our winter carry-out and delivery-only operation. The flowers have grown in the planters; birds, bees, and butterflies visit; you can relax and enjoy a meal; and our staff gets energized by their interactions with you. Although I and our employees remain masked, you can probably see our smiles through them.
Even as we have been enjoying our respite from COVID, we have been under no illusions that the pandemic is over. Personally, I have looked at this summer as the eye of the storm. I tried not to say that too much -- no one likes a party pooper, but with surges happening in other parts of the world, it has seemed like just a matter of time before the virus would return to us.
Here at Detroit Street, our staff is 100% vaccinated and we are masked both inside and outside of the restaurant. As COVID cases rise and students return to classes, we are keeping a close eye on the numbers. For now we are going to continue enjoying the al fresco dining scene. As for our cold weather plans, they are up in the air. We will adapt our service style as needed, to keep us safe and to keep you safe.
WE LAUNCHED AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
Last month we began a paid internship pilot program at Detroit Street Filling Station with two 16-year-olds; let’s call them ML and MC. ML completed his internship with four weeks of kitchen training. MC is currently in week six; she has worked with our bakers and front of house staff and is now poised to become a regular staff member. MC also received a mini-financial literacy class at Bank of Ann Arbor and even opened her own bank account. Our entire staff has embraced our interns, taught them skills, and shared life experiences.
Our interns are recommended to us by juvenile court administrators, the county prosecutor’s office, and the public defender’s office. They encourage applications from young people who they think would benefit from the vocational training and camaraderie found in the restaurant. One of our cooks, Monica Holland, is the program coordinator. A graduate student in the U-M School of Public Health, Monica has undertaken this project to fulfill her own internship. She began this project with a series of meetings with staff and leaders of area youth-serving nonprofits and court workers, in order to learn about the needs of the target youth population.
We did not undertake the program with blinders on, yet some of the obstacles we’ve encountered have been more formidable than expected. Perhaps the greatest hurdle has been transportation. Neither intern lives on a bus line -- ML actually sometimes walked two miles to catch the bus. We supplied both interns with Lyft accounts and gift certificates to pay for their rides. However, it turns out that there are not always Lyft drivers in their area. One intern was unable to continue paying for their phone; and therefore lost access to the Lyft account. Another intern has missed shifts due to a toothache. We are working with that individual to find a dentist, make an appointment, and get them there. Now, on top of everything else, our interns are returning to school where the threat of COVID looms. So, the immediate future of the program is on hold until we are sure that it’s safe to continue.
STAY TUNED AND STAY SAFE
I want to leave you with the good news that our business is doing well! Between the busy summer (thanks to all of you) and financial assistance provided by the government to restaurants, we are in good shape. Several of you very sweetly express concern about our well-being, so I want to put any fears to rest.
In my next post I will update you on our cold-weather plans, developments with our internship program, and construction on the North Star Lounge. Stay tuned and stay safe, everyone!