by
The bar is at 2644 Harrison St., between Rosa Parks Boulevard and Trumbull Avenue, just north of I-75. (Facebook photos)
For years when I took friends to the secret hideaway known as Nancy Whiskey's, as we passed through a neighborhood littered with worn homes north of the Tiger Stadium, they'd inevitably ask: "Where are you taking us?"
Now, it's not such a secret.
Two and half years ago, the national chain Long John Silver's did the commercial below featuring weekly fish and chips at Nancy Whiskey's. Soon the bar, established in 1902, was packed on Fridays for fish and chips.
"Our best-kept secret has gone national," one regular posts on Facebook. "Bittersweet, happy for you guys!"
Now, a Washington Post feature on gritty bars includes Nancy Whiskey's among "America’s most authentic dive bars." By the way, the sign says Nancy Whiskey, but owner Gerald Stevens prefers Nancy Whiksey's, which is reflected in the Facebook page.
The Post talks to bartender Sheryl Grogan, whose brother is Gerald Stevens. The bar is at 2644 Harrison St., off of Trumbull.
Nancy Whiskey’s history is a microcosm of Detroit in the 20th century. The Irish bar, a converted general store tucked away on a side street of the historic Corktown neighborhood, got its liquor license in 1902. It survived Prohibition, allegedly as a speakeasy. When the city’s economy roared, it became a hangout for Teamsters, including former union president Jimmy Hoffa, who used a phone booth near the front door to conduct private business...
Boarded-up windows and caved-in roofs appeared on houses on surrounding streets. A devotion to R&B, blues and Motown, with jam sessions and live bands on Fridays and Saturdays, continued to bring crowds to the bar, propping up the slow nights. And during the past few years, as Detroit has begun to rise, Grogan says, she has begun to see a change.
“All the young people are moving back, buying up all the houses, redoing them,” she says. “Our night business has changed. It’s young professionals, hipsters — just a big difference. We sell more craft beer now.”
Earlier coverage:
Video: Owner of Nancy Whiskey's Talks About Impact of Long John Silver's Commercial
