New owners adjust up title at longtime Livonia cafe

Enthusiasts of the previous Dwelling of Leon restaurant in Livonia have experienced quite a scare driving previous the business the very last number of months.

No anxieties to people imagining their well-liked restaurant is long gone, say the entrepreneurs, it can be just a rebrand and new name.

The restaurant at 29041 W. Seven Mile among Inkster and Middlebelt has just lately gone by means of an identification transform, but retains the similar possession and related menu.

Goodbye Home of Leon, good day Livonia City Grill.

“We didn’t see something like that shut, and we kind of appreciated the identify,” reported Steve Gjura, a longtime supervisor of the cafe that ordered it before this calendar year with his spouse, Mirela. “When we applied (to order the cafe), we presently experienced the name decided on.”

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Steve Gjura has labored at the family cafe for many decades, and was a manager for a lot more than a 10 years. Immediately after hearing the ownership was wanting to retire, he and Mirela decided it would be a reasonable next phase to get in excess of the space.

“I got to know all the shoppers and I got to know all people, and I felt superior with them, like family members,” he reported. “And I stated, ‘Might as perfectly,’ because the owner was about to retire. So I mentioned I’ll consider more than.”

The few, who life in Farmington Hills, made several enhancements inside of ideal soon after obtaining the restaurant, such as redoing the bathrooms, taking out the carpet and replacing with tile and acquiring new chairs and tables.

Of system, people indoor advancements have only been utilized for portion of the calendar year, as indoor eating has been prohibited by the point out for many months of 2020 to sluggish the unfold of COVID-19. The Gjuras experienced no concept what was in retail outlet for them when they bought the restaurant, but mentioned they’ve been ready to weather conditions the storm as a great deal as doable.

“As soon as we purchased it, the virus comes,” he said. “We didn’t hurry making choices.”

The invest in only influences the cafe on the south aspect of 7 Mile. An additional similar cafe, Leon’s Loved ones Eating at 28904 W. Seven Mile, continues to operate under the former owner. Steve Gjura said when the two experienced distinct spaces and similar names, Livonia Town Grill focuses additional on lunch and dinner entrees, whilst the cafe throughout the road focuses a lot more on breakfast.

Plenty of loyal clients

The menu at Livonia City Grill functions a lot of the similar meals it served as Household of Leon, with a concentration on handmade. The Gjuras have additional some new dishes, this kind of as Italian foodstuff like alfredo, as properly as more trendy favorites these types of as an avocado salad. Shoppers have taken well to some of the new additions, Steve Gjura said.

“They test to check out them out and they like them,” he reported.

Even though dine-in is at present not authorized, the cafe continues to offer you carryout to consumers who occur from communities this sort of as Livonia, Redford Township and Farmington Hills.

“We’ve been a very little regular,” Steve Gjura claimed. “We have frequent and loyal consumers who aid us all through this time.”