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Unit Size: 3,213 SF
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Condo Use: Retail
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Price: Price Upon Request
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Sale Type: Owner User
Description
FOR SALE: WILLIS SHOW BAR – A MODERN ICON IN MIDTOWN DETROIT
?? 4156 3rd Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201
Step into Detroit nightlife history—and shape its future. Willis Show Bar isn’t just a venue. It’s a vibe. A 3,213 SF fully licensed, professionally designed cocktail lounge and live entertainment stage tucked into the cultural core of Midtown—where art, music, and capital collide.
With a bold Art Deco identity and a growing fanbase, this turnkey venue delivers rare architectural charm, built-in visibility, and serious upside potential for an experienced operator, group, or creative investor.
?? BUILT-IN BRAND POWER
20,200+ Instagram followers
15,000+ Email subscribers
1,800+ Resy followers (4.8 rating)
160+ Yelp reviews (4.5 stars)
8,600+ Facebook followers
30,000+ monthly Google views (4.7 rating)
50+ press hits across TV, print & “Best Of” lists
This is a brand with momentum. Willis Show Bar already has the media presence, market positioning, and consumer recognition many startups spend years chasing. You’re not buying a bar—you’re acquiring an identity with local and national credibility.
?? VALUE-ADD INFRASTRUCTURE
Included:
3,213 SF entertainment venue with full bar, built-in stage, and flexible seating
Liquor license & entertainment permits
Fully permitted 2,500 SF patio design, already approved and alcohol-licensed
Vent-capable kitchen footprint (not yet built) with potential to drive major F&B revenue
Elegant bar, high-spec sound system, and performance lighting in place
Ownership moved out of state during COVID, resulting in underutilized operations. This is a classic mismanagement arbitrage opportunity: step in, reactivate, and scale.
?? MIDTOWN METRICS THAT MATTER
27,978 Wayne State students
82,500 daytime population within 1 mile
1,500+ new residential units nearby
0.17 miles to M-10 (The Lodge)
1 mile from Downtown core & arenas
Midtown Detroit is booming—with a built-in mix of students, professionals, creatives, and tourists. The district continues to benefit from ongoing densification, institutional anchors (WSU, DMC, CCS), and a nightlife void ready to be filled.
?? WHO SHOULD BUY THIS?
Hospitality groups wanting a performance-centric flagship in an A+ zip code
Bar owners or restaurateurs seeking a high-identity space with built-in demand
Investor/operators looking for cash-flow real estate with creative upside
Artists, curators, or producers ready to program the next era of Detroit culture
?? WHY NOW?
Because this is a generational real estate + brand + business opportunity in one of the country’s most creatively alive urban neighborhoods.
The bones are solid. The brand is real. The upside is yours to activate. Build the kitchen. Open the patio. Extend hours. Book the talent. Run private events. Expand digital reach. Midtown is ready.
?? INTERESTED?
Kees Janeway
Broker | Iconic Real Estate
?? kees@iconicdet.com
?? 313-603-ICON (4266)
Sale Notes
Please do not approach employees, contact broker for more information.
Kees Janeway
Iconic Real Estate
