Bobcat Bonnie's is opening newest location in Ferndale

Susan Selasky | Detroit Free Press

Bobcat Bonnie’s, which already has restaurants in Corktown and Wyandotte, will open a third location in Ferndale.

Owner Matt Buskard, 33, said Bobcat Bonnie's is remodeling the building at 22061 Woodward Avenue, a little bit south of the downtown core. Over the past several decades, that location was the site of many restaurants and nightclubs, including the former Eden Nightclub, Cobalt and the popular Doug’s Body Shop, which featured booths converted from old cars.

“It’s an amazing and outstanding space with so much history and culture,” Buskard said. "They used to do Motown and jazz shows in the basement." In 1985, according to Free Press archives, Aretha Franklin shot the video for her hit "Freeway of Love" in Doug’s Body Shop.

Buskard said he is “through the moon about the space and being in the community.”

The menu will be the same as at the other locations. House favorites include Captain Crunch Chicken Fingers with sriracha honey sauce and spicy honey mustard, and tater tots loaded with various toppings. Bobcat Bonnie's is also a popular brunch spot.

There will be a private bar and dining space in the basement, available for rent shortly after it opens. The build-out will include adding windows, rearranging some bathrooms and adding a kitchen.

The location has seen some issues in the past, including some violence and noise complaints when it was GLO in 2014-15.

"We are here to patch that up and repair that," Buskard said. "We are going to work with the neighborhood, plan on investing in the community and making sure we are good neighbors."

An end of fall opening is expected. The Ferndale location will seat about 200 and employ 50 people.

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Bobcat Bonnie's opened its first location on Michigan Avenue in Corktown four years ago. A Wyandotte location opened in 2017.

On Friday, it will celebrate its fourth anniversary with specials at both the Corktown and Wyandotte venues. The $4-special list includes appetizers, signature cocktails, pints of Short’s Brewing Company’s Sticky Icky, glasses of wine and all tater tots.

Contact Susan Selasky at 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.