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Christopher McNamara
Johnny 'JLo' Lopez at Union Street.
Tributes and memories are pouring in as Detroit mourns the loss of beloved restaurateur Johnny “JLo” Lopez, who died Monday of unknown causes.
Lopez, who was most notably a former partner in Midtown's restaurant and bar Union Street, where he originally worked as a teenager, was also behind now-shuttered eateries Agave, Atlas Bistro, as well as the resurrection of Cass Corridor cafe Twingo's. In recent years, he's worked for Union Street in various roles, as well as at The Majestic, and, most recently, Grosse Pointe Park's Lunch Box Deli.
“John was the hub, the center, and the spark of a very special part of Detroit, in an equally special time,” friend Fred Ward shared on Facebook. “He could unite disparate tribes with his wit, heart, and golden charm.” Ward also called Lopez the “beloved mayor of a wonderful, eccentric community.”
Concert promoter Stirling, who had a running buddy in Lopez, said that losing Lopez is not as much a personal loss as much as it is a loss for the entire community. “He was super fun, and funny, a real happy positive vibe-type of person,” Stirling says.
“Detroit has always been as cool a city as you would find anywhere in the country,” Lopez told Model D in 2005. “I want to change the quality of life for people in this neighborhood.”
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