8 Degrees Plato Detroit

02/25/2025

Hey—-
Looking forward to the bright future in the Meantime!

Can’t wait for the opening!!!

https://detroit.eater.com/2025/2/25/24372298/meantime-beer-bar-shop-opening-cass-corridor-8-degrees-plato?_gl=1*sggyc1*_ga*MTE1NTYxNTIzNy4xNzM5MjA3NzU4*_ga_GMSWCRTSTY*MTc0MDQ5ODQxOS43LjEuMTc0MDUwMTk3NC42MC4wLjA

01/07/2025

The past 14+ years of small business ownership provided one helluva a ride, but nothing prepared us for our final week. Holy Hell. Your kindness, memories, tokens of friendship, cards, and presence was significant!

Thank you for coming out and being with us in the last month. We saw you, we heard you, we felt the well wishes. No more so than on our celebration of all things 8ºP, Saturday, December 28th. Can we just say Holy Hell, one more time? The place was packed; seriously, there were moments we couldn’t even move. To see so many old friends and staff that had come back, and everyone so happy to just be together. The conversations and beers were flowing. So. Many. Smiling. Faces. And then it got real. Tim stood on the bar one last time, thanked everyone, and said an official goodbye. Was there a dry eye in the house? Later, in what felt like the hugeness of it all, we laughingly said it was like experiencing the Detroit version of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Seriously, how many people get that in their lives? We feel so blessed.

So, one last time, we say thank you. Thank you for building a community with us and for all the silly, goofy, terrifying times. Thank you for entering as a stranger and leaving as friends. You have given us a lifetime of unforgettable memories. Happy New Year!

12/31/2024

Okay.
We had spectacular plans for today, but, we kinda drank all the beer. And yes, they’re real….
So,
We will sell cans of beer while we are open today.
CASH ONLY
CASH ONLY
CASH ONLY

We will be giving Last Call at 2pmish and making sure everyone is out the door by 3pm (firm please)

ONLY CASH
ONLY CASH
ONLY CASH

We will have a better post in the future, this one is more functional…..

See you at 11am.

Please, CASH ONLY!

12/30/2024

Found this nugget in our back room under a shelving unit…..

Yes, we are OPEN today 3-9pm.
We have very few beers on tap ( still $1 off or $2 Plato Nation) and we have:

$3 Altas all day
$5 Blackrock’s can all day
or until we run out….

Other beer that is in the cooler is also still available to purchase and drink in the store, but with a corkage fee….

Planning on opening Tuesday from 11am til 3PM or earlier if the beer runs out…..

12/29/2024

Last night was amazing! You guys crushed it. This is all the beer left on tap. We do, however, have plenty of Altes cans for $3 and Black Rocks cans for $5. We’re open from 3:00 until 8:00 for Damon’s official last day (don’t tell him, but he may be working Tuesday . . . ).

12/28/2024

Thank you for indulge our sentimentality over the last several weeks. When we started planning 8ºP 15 years ago Tim had just been liberated from his job, and was finishing his degree. Brigid had just left Detroit Public Schools to become an Assistant Professor at EMU. It feels like a life time ago.

For two people who like to keep life at a reasonably even keel, this journey has been filled with some extraordinary moments. The highs have soared to incredible heights—like being recognized as one of the top three beer bars in the country by USA Today. And the lows have tested us, with challenges as daunting as the pandemic. Through it all, these 13+ years of being open have gifted us with remarkable opportunities, a lifetime of memories, and YOU! Our hearts are so full of gratitude for each of you. We treasure the countless memories of those who walked through our doors and left as friends. Our city, this amazing city, has been behind us. We struggle to find the words to express how this feels. But . . .

Tonight, we’ll try as we celebrate all things Plato. We can’t wait to see familiar faces—former team members and friends, both old and new. Join us from 6:00 to 10:00 for a night filled with laughter, stories, and hopefully a bit of fun; the toast is set for around 8:00, with rebuttals to follow—LOL! And don’t worry, parking on the street is free this week. We truly hope to see you there.

As we look ahead, the next few months are going to bring significant changes for us. We’ll be wrapping up the shop, and Tim will be on the lookout for a new job (if you have any leads, we’d be grateful!). We’re also excited about spending time at home together, traveling, and creating more memories with our parents. Brigid continues to love her work at EMU, and together, we’ll figure it out.

The store will be open for a few final shifts—tomorrow (Sunday) for Damon’s last shift, Monday for Lynette’s last, and Tim will close it out on New Year’s Eve from 11:00 to 2:00 p.m.

Every time you walked through our door, it was a gift. Serving Detroit has been a true privilege, and we are forever thankful for the community we’ve built together. Here’s to making more memories!

12/27/2024

Reflecting on the early days of our journey, it’s clear that the essence of 8ºP was shaped by the remarkable individuals who joined us! Jenn—with two n’s—was our very first recruit, setting the stage for a team that quickly expanded to include Ian, Damon, Nikole, and Cam.

Though we might not recall precisely when everyone else became part of our crew, we absolutely remember the joy each person brought.Every team member contributed uniquely to the vibrant atmosphere of the shop. The laughter, warmth, graciousness, and sense of hospitality they shared with our customers created an environment so special.

We are truly grateful that each of you chose to be part of this adventure, making the shops a place of connection and community. The memories we built together are some of our fondest, and while some familiar faces might be missing from our reflections, please know that it is simply due to the challenge of finding photos, not a lack of appreciation. Each of you played a critical role in shaping the spirit of 8ºP, and for that, you will always hold a special place.

Tomorrow night we’re hoping to see many of you as we spend the evening reminiscing and celebrating all things 8°P. More information in Stories.

12/27/2024

Whenever a Manager left 8ºP, we always posted a heartfelt farewell message on social media to celebrate and thank them for everything they did. Today, we want to take a moment to highlight someone who may not be a manager in title but means the world to us—Damon!

Damon was one of our very first customers in Ferndale, joining us at one of the first beer tastings we ever held (we’re still unsure if it was the first or second!). He quickly became a familiar face on those lively Friday nights. Early on, we celebrated when he received his journeymen’s license. We were so proud of him! However, his true passion for craft beer led him to work with us and another company in the industry full-time.

Damon has always shown up exactly when we needed him most—through floods, bustling Noel Night Beer tents, and especially during the entire construction process in Detroit alongside Brigid. Back in May, when we told him about the offer for the store, Damon reassured us with, “I’m here with you to the end.” None of us imagined the journey would take as long as it has or end this way, but Damon has been right there with us every step of the way.

Over the years, he has become a part of our family, sharing holidays together whenever he can. There’s even a funny family story about him bringing Comet Cleaner as his contribution to our White Elephant gift exchange—definitely a moment to remember! We truly adore him and are so thankful that 8ºP brought him into our lives.

This Sunday, December 29th, will be his last shift with us. We invite you all to swing by and give him a warm farewell—let him know just how much he means to all of us!

12/26/2024

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas!
May your day be filled with good memories!

We’ll be here tomorrow at 3pm. Less than a week away….

12/24/2024

It started so simply. Each evening the team would split tips, and any odd amount left over would go into a large bucket we jokingly called ‘the bail out fund.’ After two years the fund had accrued about $1000, and staff decided they wanted to donate it to the Enough Said initiative, which began in 2012 when more than 11,000 r**e kits were discovered untested in Detroit. Each test cost $500 to process so we would have been able to test two kits with the those funds.

Then Christian had the brilliant idea to take that $1000 and buy brewing ingredients and ask Batch Brewing Company if they would jointly brew a beer with us. We would sell the pints for $5 a piece with all the proceeds going to test r**e kits. But it turns out that Stephen was just the first small business owner that went out of their way for us, other small business from all over Detroit collaborated throughout the day long event and gave of their time and services. We started the day at 8:00 a.m with Detroit Community Yoga and Sister Pie donating baked goods to sell. Carlos Parisi made blow-torch nachos. Music kept the energy up and the vibe cool - Our former staff came and volunteered, and staff from Ferndale took shifts to help out. Detroit media CAME OUT and helped us spread the word.

At 11:30 p.m. we blew the last of nine kegs. Christian carried out the final one triumphantly to a chorus of applause. Over nine hundred beers were sold that day raising enough money to test nine r**e kits, the Yoga event contributed enough funds to test five more kits. By the time the event was over and all the donations counted we raised $12,397 - enough to test 25 r**e kits.

This is the most specialist of memories. We can still tear up when we think of how the amazing staff, led by Christian came together to do something so amazing. We seriously couldn't have been prouder! The memory is also so amazing because of the overwhelming support from you that day. So many folks came and drank beer, came back two or three times during the day, wrote a check, made a contribution, told someone else, or shared it on social media. A final large donation brought us across the finish line in a thrilling way but the lasting memory is of several woman who came in and hastily gave us a donation with tears in their eyes and said this was personal and important. Including one very young waitress who came in after midnight counting out a portion of her tip money from that shift, apologizing that it wasn't more - it was so much. So much.

12/23/2024

By the time we signed for 3409 Cass, we had experienced two other deals that had fallen through. First, we were supposed to go next to Shinola, then into what eventually became Hopcat. Getting to this point was challenging, but creating this space was a joy. We were determined to use as many ethically reclaimed materials as possible; everything in the shop has a story to tell.

The mahogany bar was made from wood taken from a judge’s chambers in the old Federal building. The shelves are made from the bleachers of the old Cass Tech. The beautiful old oak snack shelf also came from the library at Cass Tech. The windows above the bar were sourced from a factory on the East Side. We were delighted when the shop was nominated for the first UNESCO Design Award in Detroit. Everything was chosen with care, and it feels strange to be just days away from dismantling it.

We will be closing on December 31st, and in January, we’ll be holding a garage sale to find new homes for these carefully curated pieces. We’ll share more details about that event after the 31st.

In the meantime, join us over the next eight days as we reminisce! We would love to share the details of where all the pieces came from.