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Beloved Corktown music/bar UFO Factory announced its permanent closure at the beginning of the month, but teased to fans of the venue that they would likely be pleased with its next evolution. This week, as first reported by WDET, Roula David, owner of the eastside establishment Spot Lite, has revealed that she’s taken over ownership of the space and in July will unveil its latest iteration, to be called UFO BAR.
Under the management of the newly formed hospitality group Lite House, the bar’s current staff will remain, as will the same type of events and programming the spot is already known for. Most notably, UFO BAR’s food offerings will change slightly, with its vegan Laika Dog menu will be rebranded as Gladys Nite and will operate under the direction of chef Jessica Kindle, who currently runs a food truck outside of Spot Lite. She will retain the weenies, but will offer a bit of a different spin, according to a media release shared with Eater Detroit on Wednesday, June 12. Gladys Night will continue to operate at Spot Lite as well, David told Eater.
The ownership behind UFO Factory includes Dion Fischer, Aliccia Bollig-Fischer, and Matthew Bihun. Earlier this year, they approached David about taking over the place and established a land contract to purchase the property and business.
A previously reported, UFO Factory is set to close permanently on June 15. After that, the venue will remain shuttered temporarily for a brief transition period. David tells WDET’s Ryan Patrick Hooper that the space will reopen by the end of July.
According to Hooper, UFO Factory made a name for itself as a hub for underground no wave, rock and punk shows, as well as its queer-focused DJ nights. David tells the public radio announcer that she wants this vibe to continue.
“I find that UFO is even deeper than the underground,” she told the station. “We want to preserve that as far as the DJ culture. We’re going to bring in a lot of bands — local and national opportunities that make sense.”
Details about the reopening will be shared in the coming weeks. UFO BAR is at 2110 Trumbull.
