Read the Latest Issue
HD MAGAZINE
Inspiration at your fingertips
Sign up for the latest edition of Hospitality Design magazine and HD's various newsletters
DIGITAL EDITION PRINT SUBSCRIPTION NEWSLETTERS
ARCHIVED ISSUES
HD EXPO + CONFERENCE
See you in 2025!
Save the date for the industry's leading event in Las Vegas, May 6–8th, 2025
HD EXPO + CONFERENCE
        • Projects
          • Development + Destinations
          • Boutique + Lifestyle
          • F+B
          • Hotels + Resorts
          • Retail + Commercial
          • Wellness + Sustainability
        • People
          • Interviews
          • Podcasts
          • Webinars
        • News
          • Business + People
          • Boutique + Lifestyle
          • Development + Destinations
          • F+B
          • Five on Friday
          • Hotels + Resorts
          • Retail + Commercial
          • Wellness + Sustainability
        • Products
          • Accesories + Art
          • Bath + Spa
          • Beds + Bedding
          • Flooring.
          • Furniture
          • Lighting
          • Outdoor
          • Roundups
          • Surfaces
          • Technology
          • Textiles
        • Videos
          • Awards + Events
          • BDNY
          • HD Expo + Conference
          • HDTV
          • Partner Spotlight
        • Awards + Events
          • HD Expo + Conference
          • BDNY
          • HD Awards
          • HD Summit
          • HD NextGen Forum
          • HD Platinum Circle Awards
          • HD CitySCENE
          • HD Wave of the Future
          • BD Forums
          • BD Match
          • Gold Key Awards
          • Senior Lifestyle Design Match
          • Event Photos
HD MAGAZINE
Inspiration at your fingertips
Sign up for the latest edition of Hospitality Design magazine and HD's various newsletters
DIGITAL EDITION PRINT SUBSCRIPTION NEWSLETTERS
ARCHIVED ISSUES
HD EXPO + CONFERENCE
See you in 2025!
Save the date for the industry's leading event in Las Vegas, May 6–8th, 2025
HD EXPO + CONFERENCE
Follow Along
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
M
POPULAR SEARCHES
PODCASTS
WEBINARS
FURNITURE
PROJECTS
VIDEO INTERVIEWS
INTERVIEWS
M
    
Search IconA magnifying glass icon.
  • News
    • Business + People
    • Boutique + Lifestyle
    • Development + Destinations
    • F+B
    • Five on Friday
    • Hotels + Resorts
    • Retail + Commercial
    • Wellness + Sustainability
  • Projects
    • Development + Destinations
    • Boutique + Lifestyle
    • F+B
    • Hotels + Resorts
    • Retail + Commercial
    • Wellness + Sustainability
  • People
    • Interviews
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
  • Products
    • Accessories + Art
    • Bath + Spa
    • Beds + Bedding
    • Flooring
    • Furniture
    • Lighting
    • Outdoor
    • Roundups
    • Surfaces
    • Technology
    • Textiles
  • Awards + Events
    • HD Expo + Conference
    • BDNY
    • HD Awards
    • HD Summit
    • HD NextGen Forum
    • HD Platinum Circle Awards
    • HD CitySCENE
    • HD Wave of the Future
    • BD Forums
    • BD Match
    • Gold Key Awards
    • Event Photos
  • Videos
    • Awards + Events
    • BDNY
    • HD Expo + Conference
    • HDTV
    • Partner Spotlight
  • Subscribe
    • HD Newsletters
    • HD Magazine – Print
    • HD Magazine – Digital
    • BD Newsletters
    • BD Magazine
Read the Latest Issue
News: F+B
February 26, 2025

An Abandoned Department Store Finds New Life as Gilly’s

The 12,710-square-foot Detroit building now houses a sports bar, rooftop lounge, and an underground bar

Words by: Stephanie Chen • Photos by John D'Angelo

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, exterior facade

News:

F+B
February 26, 2025

An Abandoned Department Store Finds New Life as Gilly’s

The 12,710-square-foot Detroit building now houses a sports bar, rooftop lounge, and an underground bar

Words by: Stephanie Chen • Photos by John D'Angelo

Downtown Detroit gains a new sports entertainment and dining destination with the opening of Gilly’s.

The multi-level project celebrates the legacy of the late Nick “Gilly” Gilbert, the son of Dan Gilbert, businessman and owner of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.

Housed in the long-abandoned Kay Baum department store, originally built in 1965, the LEED-certified, 12,710-square-foot building has been ushered into a new era thanks to a collaborative design. Architecture by McIntosh Poris Architects sets the stage, while Coeval Studio spearheaded the interiors for Gilly’s Clubhouse and the Rooftop at Gilly’s, and Pophouse crafted basement bar Saksey’s.

A refreshed façade

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, enclosed glass rooftop

McIntosh Poris Architects endeavored to create a building that fit into the site’s historical context, but added a modern touch to the skyline.

A dark brick and granite façade with metal accents frames large expanses of glass, revealing the interior activities. Intricate masonry detailing provides depth and shadow, playing on historical patterns by mixing traditional bond and Flemish bond patterns with soldier courses, corbeling details, and projecting brick ends. The building was also updated with a new rooftop glass canopy.

Gilly’s Clubhouse

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, interior tvs high top tables

On the ground level, Gilly’s Clubhouse unfolds as a 3,700-square-foot sports bar with patio dining and a mezzanine. The interiors draw inspiration from Detroit’s past and present through the use of wood paneling, curated art, vintage elements, and a collection of sports memorabilia.

The Rooftop at Gilly’s

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, enclosed glass rooftop

At 2,500 square feet, the Rooftop at Gilly’s features a custom, fully-glazed rooftop enclosure and an outdoor terrace. Hacienda-inspired interiors add a touch of old-world Spanish charm, where moody charcoal gray and black hues are contrasted by warm terracotta tones, encaustic floor tiles are reminiscent of Mexican art, and clean geometric lines are enhanced by ornate decorative tin tiles. Traditional handmade Mexican furniture and lantern-style lighting tie the indoor-outdoor experience together.

Saksey’s

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, basement bar feminine mural

The concept of Saksey’s is dedicated to Dan Gilbert’s father’s restaurant of the same name, which was a raucous 1960s institution in Detroit. Pophouse set out to create a space that celebrates this devil-may-care attitude.

Descending into the basement-level bar, guests are greeted by a maximalist environment filled with mixed patterns, dreamy lighting, and heavy drapery.

Inside the main bar area, a moody and rich atmosphere is supported by sumptuous velvets, adventurous patterns, and mirrored ceilings. Behind the bar, a velvety chenille wallcovering portrays a mysterious panoramic of feminine silhouettes. The entire perimeter, meanwhile, is clad with lacquer to reinforce the ever-present ode to the 1960s.

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, enclosed glass rooftop

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, interior tvs high top tables

gilly's clubhouse, rooftop at gilly's, saksey's tri-level sports entertainment bar dining destination converted department store kay baum, basement bar feminine mural

More from HD:
The 76 Most-Anticipated Hotel Openings of 2025
What I’ve Learned Podcast: Darius Davie + Matthew Sears, Groom Guy
Dive Into Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens in Greece

F+B
Americas

SHARE

em

ln

fb

pn

tw

NEWS F+B

Backstage Zone Transforms a Hotel into a Cultural Destination

May 8, 2025
NEWS F+B Hotels + Resorts

Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas Unveils Hard Shake and Peacock Alley

May 7, 2025
NEWS F+B

Backstage Zone Transforms a Hotel into a Cultural Destination

May 8, 2025
NEWS F+B Hotels + Resorts

Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas Unveils Hard Shake and Peacock Alley

May 7, 2025
← Previous Article Next Article →
HD MAGAZINE
hospitality design magazine august 2024 issue product marketplace

Inspiration at your fingertips

Get the newest issue of Hospitality Design magazine

DIGITAL EDITION

PRINT SUBSCRIPTION
ARCHIVED ISSUES
HD NEWSLETTERS

Join the list

Sign up for HD's various newsletters
for exclusive weekly content
SUBSCRIBE

BD MAGAZINE + NEWSLETTER

boutique design magazine fall 2024 issue

Sign up!

Don't miss the latest from Boutique Design

NEWSLETTER SIGN UP

SUBSCRIBE

ARCHIVED ISSUES

About | Contact | Buyers Guide | Advertise | Advisory Board | Sitemap

FOLLOW US ON

  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

Subscribe

Emerald Logo
© 2025 Emerald X, LLC. All Rights Reserved
ABOUTCAREERSAUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERSYour Privacy ChoicesTERMS OF USEPRIVACY POLICY

Sign up to stay informed about our latest awards and events.

Follow Along
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow

Sign up to stay informed about our latest awards and events.

Follow Along
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow
  • Follow