Following a summer celebration that saw 167,000 visitors enjoy free self-guided tours of the revitalized Michigan Central Station, details were announced today on how the public can continue to see the historic landmark going forward, as well as news about the building’s first restaurant in four decades.
Guided tours
Guided tours are being offered in partnership with Detroit History Tours, which has been sharing the rich history of the Motor City with more than 200,000 people over 12 years. Experts will offer inside anecdotes from the building’s restoration and guide visitors all over the historic Station’s ground floor, including areas not accessible to the general public. Personal photography is welcomed.
“Detroit History Tours is honored to be powering tours of The Station,” said Bailey Sisoy-Moore, the Hamtramck-based company’s owner. “From The Station’s legendary past to its exciting future, we are excited to share this landmark’s story with the world.”
Unlike the tours over the summer, tickets will be required for the experience. Options are available for not only individuals but private tours for larger groups. More information, including accessibility, pricing, hours, parking and photography policies, is available at www.michigancentral.com/visit.
Yellow Light Coffee & Donuts coming this fall
Later this year, Yellow Light Coffee & Donuts — a beloved, locally owned favorite on Detroit’s east side — will open in The Station’s historic retail arcade. The coffee shop will become the first food-and-beverage tenant in The Station since the building’s closure in 1988. It will be located immediately off The Station’s east entrance, and offer take-out and dine-in options daily, with more information on hours to come.
Yellow Light opened as a drive-thru in 2020 in Detroit’s Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood and quickly became a morning staple for eastsiders. It was co-founded by In-Laws Hospitality owners Christine and Jacques Driscoll, and outside partner Niko Dimitrijevic, and is the sister restaurant of the Driscolls’ other city dining institutions, Green Dot Stables and Johnny Noodle King.
“Offering our in-house roasted coffee, scratch-made doughnuts and biscuit sandwiches to Corktown and Southwest is beyond exciting for our growth in Detroit,” said Christine Driscoll. “We’re also humbled that we will be part of this newest chapter in The Station’s history starting this fall.”
The coffee shop is hiring for The Station location, and interested applicants can send their resume to hr@inlawshospitality.com.
167,000 visitors … and counting
The Labor Day weekend marked the conclusion of Michigan Central’s free Summer at the Station celebration, which brought thousands of visitors each weekend to tour the revitalized Michigan Central Station and learn about the building’s history, restoration and next chapter through OPEN exhibits. Since reopening in June, The Station has welcomed 167,000 visitors through its doors over 32 days of being open to the public, exceeding expectations and solidifying Michigan Central as a cultural destination in Detroit.
“We are so humbled by the outpouring of support and excitement from the community that came to explore The Station this summer and share in this new beginning,” said Joshua Sirefman, CEO of Michigan Central. “To those who have traveled near and far, your support is instrumental as we continue to breathe new life into this iconic landmark and build a brighter future for Detroit around it.”
After a six-year restoration by Ford Motor Company that saw more than 3,100 skilled tradesmen and women work a combined 1.7 million hours, Michigan Central Station officially reopened its doors for the first time in nearly four decades in June. Following its grand reopening celebration, The Station hosted a three-month free open house, which attracted more than 167,000 visitors over the course of the summer. These experiences featured an array of historic exhibits and cultural activations including more than 60 live performances from Detroit musical acts and a rotating selection of 25 food trucks that reported more than $90,000 in sales for those local businesses.
As the centerpiece of Michigan Central’s 30-acre innovation and cultural district — where leaders, thinkers, communities and creators come together to build solutions that shape our collective future — The Station will support growth and opportunity in Detroit’s future. It will accommodate larger tenants and established companies, attract and retain technology talent, and draw in diverse businesses. Its first tenants, Detroit youth in Google’s Code Next program, have already moved into their offices on The Station’s fifth floor. The program helps Detroit high school students pursue careers in tech and will help develop a pipeline of diverse talent for Michigan tech startups and established companies alike. Ford Motor Co. employees are up next to begin moving into three floors of The Station this fall.
For more information on The Station’s history, restoration, and next chapter, visit https://michigancentral.com/a-new-beginning-ford-to-reopen-michigan-central-station-after-multi-year-historic-restoration/.
About Michigan Central
Michigan Central is a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit, where leaders, thinkers, communities, and creators come together to accelerate bold ideas and technologies that shape our collective future. By providing access to world-class infrastructure, tools, and resources, Michigan Central inspires innovators and community members to collaborate on real, ground-breaking solutions to global problems. Since opening in April 2023, Michigan Central has grown into a diverse ecosystem of more than 600 employees from over 100 companies and startups working at the intersection of mobility and society. Learn more at www.Michigan Central.com.
