Bistro Joe’s will now be under new ownership

By Grace Lovins

Restaurateurs Deni Bozinovski and Matt Moore, owners of now more than 16 restaurants under M&D Woodward LLC, are set to take over a Birmingham bistro, Bistro Joe’s, located at 34244 Woodward Avenue inside Papa Joe’s market, after city commissioners approved the ownership transfer during the Monday, February 12, meeting.

Bozinovski and Moore currently own and operate more than a dozen restaurants across metro Detroit under the name Johnny Blacks, including five Johnny Blacks Public House restaurants in Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion and Waterford, with a seventh location planned for St. Clair Shores, as well as Johnny Blacks Taphouse in Shelby Township.

The duo also owns Cherry Hill North Bowling in Clarkston, Orion Sports Bar & Grill in Lake Orion, and Juan Blanco’s Tacos and Tequila in Fraser, among several others. Bozinovski noted during the meeting that Bistro Joe’s would be their seventeenth establishment with a liquor license.

According to Bozinovski, he and Moore plan to “get their teeth in” for the first few months and are not seeking SLUP amendments or permits to significantly change the bistro right away. He did hint his intention to look into establishing outdoor dining for the bistro and make improvements to the establishment’s current operations.

Commissioners took the opportunity during the public hearing to emphasize their expected compliance with the bistro’s special land use permit. Under the previous owner, Bistro Joe’s liquor license application had been up for debate due to issues with excess seating.

Included in the meeting packet and discussed by commissioners, Bozinovski and Moore have had violations in the past at different restaurants, which were noted in the city police department’s review. The pair was cited for failure to provide proof of the completed alcohol training program for their Fast Eddie’s location, and they’ve been cited multiple times for dishonored checks which Bozinovski explained was due to fraud but the issues were resolved.

A police department representative told the commission that the violations are not concerning and said it’s common for people with several businesses to have past violations such as these. Per Bozinovski, the violations are taken seriously by him and Moore, saying they work hard at providing the best they can for the community they’re in.

Commissioners voted 6-0 to approve the amendment to the special land use permit, authorizing the bistro’s change in ownership. Commissioner Katie Schafer was absent from the meeting.

Bistro Joe’s was also given the green light to submit its liquor license application to the state liquor commission later on in the meeting.