Raven Lounge & Restaurant

The State of Detroit’s Live Music, Jazz, Drag, and Burlesque Scenes | Eater Detroit

"I watched Tommy Stephens preemptively close the 54-year-old Poletown blues club on March 10, 2020, and have since overseen its longest shutdown since it opened in 1966; he refers to the venue as 'Miss Raven is sleeping.' Stephens, who owns the bar outright as a retired Detroit Public Schools educator, says he will not reopen until there is a cure for the virus, and notes the closure followed Detroit becoming a COVID-19 hotspot—at least two musicians who’ve performed at the Raven have died due to the pandemic. The club now runs with very low overhead (he estimates $60–$70 a month on utilities after canceling garbage collection and the card account) and has occasionally received one-off support such as a Crown Royal ad campaign donation while it remains closed." - Brenna Houck