City Commission Says 'Amen' to Ale Mary's Craft Beer Bar

Tom's Oyster Bar got the approval of the Royal Oak City Commission this week to tweak the layout of its 4,000-square feet of space at 318 S. Main St. and convert the north side of the establishment to Ale Mary's.

Ale Mary's will be a full service restaurant featuring craft beers. It will have its own kitchen and a completely different menu than Tom's Oyster Bar, according to management.

"We'll be serving casual comfort food at Ale Mary's," said Jason Prise. "The menu is not set in stone yet, but we'll have multiple items that are cooked with beer."

The interior will have table seating for 34 patrons and an 18-seat bar.

Look for a completely new facade on the front with folding windows, a new awning, new signage and gas lights. (See the attached elevation.)

Construction work will begin in the first quarter of 2014. The new eatery hopes to be open by spring.

Ale Mary's started its own Facebook page on Tuesday and already has nearly 800 "likes." 

Other downtown establishments change plans, too

On Monday, commissioners also approved:

• Gemmayze, 308-310 S. Main St., request to change the name of its second floor to Drink Market and add a dance floor and DJ booth.
• Woody's, 208 Fifth Ave., request to change the name of the of its first floor to Onyx. Onyx would feature a more upscale dining experience, serving Black Angus steaks cooked at the table on a heated rock.
• The Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St., was given the green light to increase its capacity to 2,050 to attract more national acts. It was previously approved for 1,700 persons.