Jesse Kranyack, managing partner of the Wurst Bar, has added delivery service, live entertainment to capture more customers.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
The Wurst Bar in Ypsilanti is nearing its one-year mark since opening and its owner has decided to start the new year by expanding its reach.
Jesse Kranyack, managing partner of the Wurst Bar located at 705 W. Cross St., said it recently began a delivery service to reach younger patrons who might not be able to enter the bar after 10 p.m., due to their age.
"We don't want anyone under 21 in after 10 p.m., so I didn't want to cut that whole crowd out," Kranyack said. "It's open to everyone, but we were cutting out a large demographic and we wanted to make sure they get in."
The delivery service, which runs from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., could expand to outside of Ypsilanti, but Kranyack said it all depends on how the initial service area turns out. However, the bar will travel a little outside of the area for certain orders. For those 21 and over, beer can be delivered in addition to food. The delivery service will be bumped up to 6 p.m. in the next few weeks, Kranyack said.
Kranyack is also in the process of beginning renovations inside of the 3,814 square-foot bar. He plans to put in some new bathrooms and update nearly the entire kitchen.
The Wurst Bar has a wide range of customers, according to Kranyack.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
"When we moved in the place, it was a 35-year-old kitchen," he said. "It had to be updated and quite a big chunk of money went into that."
The Wurst Bar replaced the 37-year-old Theo's Bar & Grille in January 2012 after Theo’s co-owner George Tangalakis agreed to sell the restaurant 15 months after placing it on the market.
Tangalakis sold the building for $370,000 to the CLV Ypsi, LLC, according to city assessor records. The LLC is registered with the state of Michigan under Waad Seba.
Since its opening, Wurst Bar has developed its own niche in the Ypsilanti bar scene.
"Whenever you open a business, you want to try to fill a section of business that doesn’t already exist," Kranyack said. "It's pretty much a new crowd of people... business hasn't dropped off at all."
Kranyack attributes some of the bar's success to the menu, which features unique bratwurst and burger dishes that pair a wide range of meats and ingredients. The bar also has some vegetarian dishes.
"Food is one of the few things where you can invent something new every day," Kranyack said. "There's an unlimited amount of ingredients. All you need is a little bit of creativity."
The bar's sales are split roughly evenly between food and alcohol, which Kranyack said isn't the norm for most bars. Most are geared toward alcohol, with minimal food offerings.
"Most have a 60-40 split or 80-20, with more toward alcohol," Kranyack said.
Although his business is viable, Kranyack — who also owns a high-end, seasonal restaurant Kelley's Island House in Ohio — believes the Ypsilanti bar and restaurant scene is still underdeveloped. If more businesses were to open, the variety would be good for the entire area, he said.
The Wurst Bar in Ypsilanti offers a unique menu, featuring bratwursts, hamburgers and vegetarian options.
Courtney Sacco | AnnArbor.com
"I've lived here and I often find myself wanting things that I can't get access to. I think if Eastern Michigan University wants to put itself over other schools, it needs to have more things for people to do."
Something else Kranyack started recently are live entertainment offerings. One Monday night a month, the bar features live dinner music with a themed dinner that can be paired with wine or beer. The music offering ranges from jazz to blues to a big band feel.
"We've had a couple jazz-themed ones and a blues night served with comfort food," he said. "Every time we do it, it's different. I wanted to find a way to get some music and the music people I get in are all through the University of Michigan."
With the bar's anniversary approaching, Kanyack said he's had a chance to reflect on how welcomed his business is in the area.
"I've been in the restaurant business for a while now and Ypsilanti has been very welcoming and it has a very collective mix of people," he said. "It's been a pretty enjoyable year."
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.