UFO Bar opened on August 16, 2024, at 2110 Trumbull Street in Corktown, in the building that had been UFO Factory for ten years. The new owner is Roula David, who already owned and operated Spot Lite, the multi-faceted music venue, art gallery, and record shop on the east side. The original UFO Factory's last day was June 15.
The space reopened with a new name, mostly the same bones, and most of the same staff. UFO Factory opened in 2014 and became the rare bar that mattered to people who care about underground rock and queer-focused DJ nights. It is, by David's own research, the only punk rock bar in the world owned by an Arab woman.
The grand opening that Friday night featured an Arabic hardcore punk band booked through Portage Garage. Sunday brought back Jennyoke, the weekly karaoke night that had wandered to other venues during the closure year. David called Jen David personally and asked her to come back.
In June, the original owners had posted on Instagram that they were getting out of the bar and restaurant business. The post said the next evolution would please anyone who loved the place. David spent the next three weeks closing on the deal, deep-cleaning, painting, swapping out kitchen equipment, and changing the menus.
Hot dogs are still on the menu. They come from Gladys Nite, the food truck that runs at Spot Lite. The programming question was the one regulars cared about most.
David said the residencies would continue. The same DJ collectives that ran nights at UFO Factory came back for UFO Bar. Live bands, both local and touring, continued.
The rooftop deck got more programming and a renovation. What David inherited and kept was a building that had become a refuge for a particular kind of Detroit nightlife. Queer, punk, raw, underground, with cheap beer and a stage where you can stand close enough to feel the kick drum.
UFO Bar is what UFO Factory wanted to keep being. It just needed a different person to keep the lights on.
2110 Trumbull St., Detroit
