In a short time, The Lunch Room found its stride. We got a liquor license in 2014, which expanded our offerings and customer base. We opened our Bakery & Cafe in 2015 because we needed more space to prepare breads and pastries. And we opened Detroit Street Filling Station in 2017 because The Lunch Room constantly had lines out the door and was unable to meet the growing demand. And now, with the pandemic, we have shrunk back to two locations.
I’m not sure how or when The Lunch Room became an Ann Arbor must-visit place or attained cult-status following. It’s hard, when you are somewhere day-in and day-out ,to see changes that an outsider would notice. But there was something about that little space that just screamed “community.” I had countless conversations with guests at the counter and on the floor. Some were quick and superficial but an impressive number were deep and meaningful. I made close friendships there with staff and customers. And maybe it was because the tiny tables were so close together, but one could daily witness interactions between tables. We hosted first dates and wedding anniversaries, small weddings, friend reunions, Halloween parties, scavenger hunts, music nights, and fundraisers. We gave away thousands of dollars to local organizations helping vulnerable populations. We took stands for social justice. We advocated for worker rights and prisoner rights and immigrant rights. And we served up really good food.
There is so much more to write. Who out there has Lunch Room stories to share? Please send them in. We are in a period that does not leave much space for sentimentality, but the closing of The Lunch Room deserves sentimentality. That little space saw so much love.
It helps that Detroit Street Filling Station is in the same neighborhood, has many of the same dishes and staff members as The Lunch Room. Even The Lunch Room’s neon sign is now displayed in the lounge at Detroit Street. RIP The Lunch Room. Your spirit lives on!