Brian Coker wanted a nice place to eat in his neighborhood, so he made one. His
Woodstone Grill, right outside of Ypsilanti Twp. in Belleville, opened on July 25. The goal of the restaurant, he says, is to "sell delicious and remarkable food and drinks" and to serve nutritional, well-prepared meals made with quality ingredients at a fair price.
"I've been in the restaurant business in one form or another for most of my life and always thought about opening something," Coker says. "But for me to do it, it had to be the perfect fit which meant the perfect location for me, and this seemed to be that opportunity."
Coker has been working on the restaurant for about a year, making cosmetic changes to the building, as well as adding walls and renovating the kitchen. Woodstone Grill is currently only open for dinner, but will expand its hours to include lunch next week.
"Our menu is in a state of evolution as we fine tune it based on the feedback from the community," says Coker. "Like any new restaurant we've had bumps in the road and bugs to work out, but the community has been very supportive and made it clear that they're happy we're here."
Coker hopes his restaurant will become a productive member of the community for a long time to come. Currently, Woodstone Grill employs a staff of 30 to 35 workers.
Source: Brian Coker, Woodstone Grill
Writer: Natalie Burg
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