Papa Joe’s will soon finish a $3 million renovation of its 30,000 square-foot Birmingham location at 34244 Woodward.
In addition, Papa Joe’s recently opened a 1,200 square foot location at Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital and just received approval for two locations at the Delta Terminal at Metro Airport that are scheduled to be open by Thanksgiving.
Tony Curtis, founder of Papa Joe’s, said they are developing plans for a possible location in the First National building in Detroit and after that The Renaissance Center, which houses General Motors Headquarters. All total, the company has approximately 550 employees.
“The finishing touch of the $3 million plus project at Birmingham is a third-story outdoor decorative project featuring a back lit green screen with trumpet vines. It’s due to be finished soon and will look fantastic,” said Curtis.
“People often ask if we are done renovating or expanding and my answer is always the same – ‘We’re never finished remodeling. We’re always doing something new and exciting to make the shopping and dining experience more enjoyable. Many markets over the years have tried to copy our concept. I guess you could say we are the trend setters.”
In 1971, Curtis had an idea to open a fresh produce store that also sold a few specialty items. He found a location at the corner of 10 Mile Road and Schoenherr in Warren and opened that same year. His fresh produce and low prices led to fast growth and he expanded his offerings.
Curtis eventually bought the building and property it was on, and about two decades later he said he had to accept a buyout offer from a drugstore chain that was just too good to pass up. Tony’s brother Joe also owned a market and the duo teamed up in the late 80s to open a new, bigger market called Papa Joe’s, named in honor of their father’s memory, at 19 Mile and Garfield in Clinton Township.
Like Tony’s Produce, the business grew quickly, and the brothers decided to open their first Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market in 1990 on Hamlin and Rochester Road in Rochester Hills. Together they opened the Birmingham location in 2000, Curtis brought on his two sons, Anthony and Jeff as partners. They knew they needed a larger facility in Rochester Hills that could accommodate a bigger Gourmet Market and a commissary big enough to prepare fresh foods daily for both markets. The four partners built a shopping center at Rochester and Teinken roads in northern Rochester Hills, and in 2008 opened a new 55,000-square-foot Papa Joe’s Gourmet Market and food prep facility, replacing the previous Rochester Hills location.
In 2009, a banquet hall for all types of occasions, named La Sala, was added to the Rochester Hills location.
The Birmingham Papa Joe’s opened Bistro Joe’s, a fine dining restaurant, inside on the mezzanine level a year ago. It features fine wines, craft beers, unique meals, plus a daily happy hour with an oyster bar featuring four different varieties of oysters.
Visit www.papajoesmarket.com.
Submitted by Franklin Dohanyos of Franklin Publicity, Inc.
