Detroit's Vinsetta Garage will serve food, with Autoweek seasoning

The Vinsetta Garage, a haven for car collectors and enthusiasts on the Detroit area's legendary Woodward Avenue, is making a shift from servicing cars to serving dinner.

The Vinsetta Garage, which closed nearly a year ago, will reopen next spring as a restaurant. The project is fueled by Autoweek publisher KC Crain and former Autoweek staffer-turned-award-winning restaurateur Curt Catallo.

"It's a landmark Detroit couldn't afford to lose," Crain said of the building.

Crain bought the historic garage, which stopped servicing vehicles in late 2010 after a 91-year run, right after former owner Jack Marwil put it on the market. Catallo then approached Crain with his own long-held idea of opening an eatery on the site.

The Vinsetta was the go-to place for Detroiters to restore and service their classic cars, and the character of the space will be preserved, Catallo said. The building's exterior will not be changed and the interior's industrial style will be preserved.

By Julie Alvin