DETROIT (WWJ) — The long wait for fans of an iconic Detroit dive bar is finally over.
Temple Bar, which was forced to close in May after a portion of the historic building’s facade collapsed, reopened its doors Tuesday afternoon.
Owner George Boukas says the bar passed its final state inspection last Friday and the liquor license is now out of escrow, allowing customers to come through the doors for the first time since the facade collapsed on May 24.
There were no injuries as a result of the collapse and the cause is unknown.
Temple Bar, which opened in 1927 by Boukas’ family, has been the go-to neighborhood bar for many Detroiters for years.
So much so that customers stepped up and helped raise more than $20,000 to help Boukas fund the repairs to the building via GoFundMe.
The Cass Park Historic District required the bar to use the same type of limestone that was used in the 1920s so the building could look as close to the original design as possible.
“We are back baby! OPEN TONIGHT and EVERY NIGHT AFTER THAT! Thank you all for everything! We will now return the favor!” said a post on the Temple Bar Instagram page.
The Instagram page lists the bar’s hours as 1 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily.
More on today's top stories: