Fourteen Restaurant and Skylounge closing but new restaurant taking its place

A downtown Windsor restaurant is shutting its doors at the end of the year.

Fourteen Restaurant and Skylounge at the corner of Ouellette Avenue and Riverside Drive will close to the public as of January 1.

Joe Mikhail, co-owner of Mikhail Holdings has been operating the restaurant for the last six years.

He says the closure is not due to financial concerns or lack of business but believes it's just time.

Mikhail says Fourteen opened after the Windsor Club relocated.

"We spent quite a bit of money and renovated it and for the last six years we've opened it up to the public and I believe they've enjoyed the ability to see one of the greatest international sight lines while having dinner at Fourteen over looking the Renaissance," says Mikhail.     

He says the restaurant is not their core business and says they've been contemplating on and off for years what to do with the restaurant.

"We own about 35, 36, 37 restaurants in the city but we don't operate them, we have them from that end and it's a challenging industry and I feel for all these guys who operate today," he says.      

Inside Fourteen Restaurant and Skylounge (Photo courtesy: fourteenrestaurantandskylounge.ca)

Mikhail says closing the restaurant is a difficult decision.

"It is costly to operate and I do not believe restaurants have managed their pricing to costs only due to fear of losing their customer base but it's a challenge," says Mikhail.  "Do you lose your customer base or do you lose your store, your business so it's a hard decision."    

He says the site will not sit empty for long.

Mikhail says an Asian restaurant is expected to open in the spot within the next three months.

According to Mikhail, the operator of the Asian restaurant runs more than 10 high end restaurants.