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Michael LeFevre, a
longtime St. Clair Shores restaurant figure opens a new quaint
and comfortable lakeside burger bar titled Mike’s on the Water
inside of Michigan Harbor. LeFevre says there’s a reason
for the uptick in activity. “Cars
draw cars, people draw people,” he said. “The more places, the
more choices people have to get out and relax by the lake, it
makes the entire avenue more hot.”
The new bar come at a time when the Nautical Mile Merchants
Association and marina owners are looking to work with city
officials on a $6 million public/private partnership to spruce
up the area in an effort to attract new tourism dollars from
boaters in Michigan and neighboring states.
 Despite
the tepid economy, there still is a lot of
money tied to the boating
community. A report compiled by the Recreation Marine
Research Center of Michigan State
University found the marina area
along Jefferson between Nine Mile and 10 Mile roads generates
$30 million in annual revenue, although the study was conducted
in 2007, before the national economy collapsed.
Those dollars are enough to attract the attention of longtime
Nautical Mile investors such as LeFevre. For him, opening
Mike’s on the Water is a homecoming.
He was an owner of Jack’s Waterfront Restaurant from 1994 until
he sold his share in 2003. His family also operated the former
Lido’s on the Lake from 1982 to 1990.
He spent the past seven years in Miami soaking up the Florida
culture before returning to St. Clair Shores to launch yet
another venture. “This is a good fit for me,” LeFevre
said. “This place is very casual, with an East Coast village
oyster bar kind of feel. It has a great view of the water, boat
docking up front and plenty of parking.”
Mike’s on the Water features dark, stained floors
with booths and high-top chairs and seats 150 inside
and 75 on the outside
deck. The menu will feature “baskets of burgers, buckets of
beer,” along with mini fish burgers, fried bologna sandwiches,
fish, salads and appetizers. Entertainment will be provided by a
one- or two-man band performing what he calls “Jimmy Buffett-style
music. |
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