Popular Slows barbecue to expand in Detroit

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

Detroit -- The widely acclaimed Slows Bar B Q in Detroit's Corktown sealed the last piece of its financing deal Wednesday to open a takeout and catering business in the Midtown area.

Barring any city zoning glitches, Slows to Go will open on the northwest corner of Cass Avenue and Alexandrine Street in the middle of next year, said Ryan Cooley, one of the owners of the new venture.

The 6,000-square-foot building expands the reach and capacity of the Michigan Avenue restaurant, which was an instant success when it opened four years ago, west of the old Tiger Stadium.

Slows is expected to achieve close to $4 million in sales this year. The new building will allow for the preparation of larger quantities of food compared to the original restaurant, which has a tiny kitchen and limited smoker capacity. It also will fill carryout and catering orders. "We're just trying to keep up with demand," said chef Brian Perrone, who also is an owner.

With its slow-food, Southern-inspired menu, Slows has been named one the best barbecue restaurants in the nation by Bon Appetit magazine, the Wall Street Journal and others.

Slows to Go is a $1.5 million investment, including the purchase of the building. The original restaurant's success tapped into a number of movements, including the counter-trend of young people moving back into the core city and the interest in restoring old Detroit buildings.

"We view differently than Time (magazine) and other reports," said co-owner Phil Cooley, referring to a spate of national coverage of hard times in Detroit.

Phil Cooley, a 31-year-old former Louis Vuitton model, convinced his brother Ryan, a former Chicago banker, and their parents Ron and Patty to move to Detroit. And all of them are owners. Other owners include general manager Terry Perrone and sous chef Mike Metevia.

"I've lived in Milan, Barcelona, Tokyo, Paris and Chicago and this is best community that I know," said Phil Cooley. "The people who are here are often very committed to the area." Slows is in talks with a Washington group of investors regarding franchising the restaurant.

laguilar@detnews.com (313) 222-2760