Slider Restaurant Relocates to West Village, Prepares for Menu Preview | Eater Detroit

"After nearly a decade of starts and stops since the project began in 2016, this fast-casual slider concept has settled into a former bank on Kercheval Avenue in West Village and aims to open as soon as October, pending no further delays. Founding partner LJ Nelson and a six-person ownership group now include general manager Justice Akuezue and chef Davante Burnley, who are co-owners and will manage day-to-day operations; the pair also collaborate through their pop-up and catering business, the Exchange. The vision remains a family-friendly neighborhood restaurant and local beer-focused bar serving an affordable, eclectic menu of sliders and sides—preview items include a Southwest black bean slider with avocado aioli, jalapeño, tomato, and pepper jack; a Pub Chicken slider with fried chicken, bacon, cheddar cheese sauce, and pickles; seasoned steak fries; and pineapple rum wings. Pandemic-era planning has produced features intended to increase comfort and safety: the full ground floor will include a carryout walk-up pickup area (rather than a drive-thru), expanded outdoor seating and a beer-garden-style green space in the parking lot, retail sales of beers, spice blends and sauces for at-home cooking, and eventual local delivery. Ahead of the official opening the team is hosting preview carryout pop-ups to gather neighborhood feedback—including a July 25 preview from 4–8 p.m. at 7960 Kercheval Ave that required online registration—and the owners say the concept was designed as a better alternative to fast food for Detroiters with hopes to expand to additional city locations over time." - Brenna Houck