Bagels and coffee return to Corktown now that James Oliver Coffee Co. is open

By Jerilyn Jordan

Oct 27, 2021 at 12:42 pm

Audio By Carbonatix

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Courtesy of James Oliver Coffee Co.

Bagels have returned to Corktown and we are not worthy.

The bagels are back in town — Corktown, that is.

For anyone who has been craving carbs and coffee since Detroit Institute of Bagels closed its Michigan Avenue shop in 2020, the wait is over, as James Oliver Coffee Co. opened in the former DIB space this week.

Family-owned, New Hampshire-founded James Oliver Coffee Co. announced in June that it would be taking over the 3,400 square-foot corner building at 1236 Michigan Ave., which now serves as the roasters' flagship cafe.

James Oliver Coffee Co. is operated by owners David Shock and Miranda Clark. (Clark's father is the company's founder and namesake, and continues to oversee the recipes and roasting process as a consultant.) Per Eater Detroit, the pair had been eyeing a space in Detroit's McDougall-Hunt neighborhood but decided to keep the bagel energy alive in Corktown after DIB owner Ben Newman cited the pandemic and his desire to spend more time with his family as reasons for abruptly selling, putting the entire 7-year-old bagel biz on the market, equipment and all, for close to $2 million.

Open from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily, James Oliver Coffee Co. will be slinging a selection of bagels, bagel sandwiches, with a variety of smears, including dairy-free options, as well as coffee, espresso, cold brew, nitro, tea, and a pour-over station.

In June, Shock said the space would be getting a bit of a facelift, including "ergonomic and aesthetic changes" to the cafe's interior dining space and plans for a walk-up pick up window in the rear to cut down on what Shock described as “the manic energy” that DIB maintained due to its popularity and unforgiving layout.

Photos of James Oliver Coffee Co.'s interior makeover reveal that they have dramatically reduced the counter space, which dominated almost the entire DIB space, while also offering more counter seating than what was previously available. They've kept the window seating communal table/workspaces, too. The walk-up window is expected to open in early November.

James Oliver Coffee Co. will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, Oct. 30.

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