The Detroit-based distillery owner David Landrum is investing $2 million into the build-out of a 10,000-square-foot building he owns at 2442 Michigan Ave. Inside it will be a new restaurant concept called Supergeil — a tasting room, event space and small area for spirits production, Landrum said.

He had been kicking around the idea for the past couple of years with friend and chef Brendan McCall, who will run the kitchen at the new restaurant. McCall had been executive chef at well-known Ann Arbor restaurants Mani Osteria and Isalita.

Supergeil is a Berlin-inspired, Mediterranean-influenced restaurant focused on fast-casual, healthy fare. "Geil" is hip German slang that translates roughly to "cool." The menu's centerpiece will be a German Döner Kebab, famous street food in the Deutschland that Landrum fell in love with during multiple visits there. Mediterranean meats and fresh vegetables will also be staples of the developing menu.

"I don't think there's really anything like it in the city," Landrum said.

Build-out started in December, shortly after Two James announced it was opening a tasting room in Grand Rapids. The distillery opened in a 1,000-square-foot space connected to 7 Monks Taproom after a $100,000 investment on the west side of the state.

Two James opened in 2013 as a tasting room and distillery near Michigan Central Station. It offers a line of vodkas, gins, whiskeys, rums, bourbons and absinthe. The company's spirits are sold in 14 states, including its largest market of Michigan, where bottles are stocked at Meijer, Kroger and smaller retailers. Distribution has become the company's largest revenue stream.

Landrum purchased the vacant building at 2442 Michigan Ave. for $363,500 in 2015, according to Detroit property records

The restaurant and tasting room area will take up about one-third of the space, with the event and production area claiming the rest. Production will include some bottling and blending, but there won't be any distilling there, Landrum said.

Landrum, the sole owner of the new business, said he envisions a restaurant where people can sit down for full service or grab a quick lunch for around $10.

"The ambiance we hope will be very warm and welcoming — lots of plants and Moorish tiles," he said.

The general contractor for the project is Brighton-based GMK Construction Co. LLC, and the architect is Ann Arbor-based Cornerstone Design Inc.

Landrum said he is shooting for a late summer/early fall opening. He expects the restaurant to employ around 30 people.

Since Ford Motor Co. announced its $740 million mobility-focused campus at Michigan Central Station, property owners in the area have been inundated with purchase offers. Landrum said he has turned all of them down with little consideration.

"I've had some people trying to get property from me, but I wasn't into it," he said. "That's not why I bought it. I'm not a speculator. I did it because I wanted to do something cool in the city, provide jobs and give back."