Musician Kid Rock is expanding his business ventures in Nashville, Tennessee, with the opening of a new restaurant set for May 5. The establishment, named The Detroit Cowboy, will offer fine dining, steaks, and seafood in the city's downtown district.
The Detroit Cowboy will occupy the space at 500 11th Avenue North, formerly home to Joe Muer Seafood. The project is a partnership between Kid Rock and the Joe Muer brand, known for its iconic Detroit brand history and now part of the Joe Vicari Restaurant Group.
Kid Rock, whose birth name is Robert James Ritchie, has resided primarily in Tennessee for over a decade. This new restaurant marks his second venue in downtown Nashville, joining his previously opened Big Ass Honky Tonk & Steakhouse.
The new restaurant’s restaurant’s website tagline states, "Go where you're celebrated, not tolerated." This phrase echoes comments Kid Rock made in 2019 and 2020 following the closure of his Made in Detroit restaurant at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
That closure occurred after Ilitch Holdings announced the end of its licensing agreement with the musician. The Detroit eatery had faced protests, notably from Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, which intensified after a 2019 incident where Kid Rock made disparaging remarks about Oprah Winfrey during a Nashville event. A a profanity-laced video of the rant circulated widely.
Kid Rock addressed the past situation in a recent social media post. He wrote, “A small group of very bad people thought they cancelled me and my restaurant in Detroit in 2020. All you dumbs did was hurt the city I LOVE.”
Kid Rock opening Nashville restaurant reports note the musician's stated reasons for pursuing opportunities in Nashville after his experience in Detroit.
The Detroit Cowboy is set to open its doors to the public on Sunday, May 5, offering a new dining option in the heart of Music City. Joe Muer Seafood in Nashville to become Kid Rock restaurant confirmed the May 5 transition date.
The original report on the move can be found here: This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press.
According to Kid Rock's social media post, reflecting on the Detroit restaurant closure: “A small group of very bad people thought they cancelled me and my restaurant in Detroit in 2020. All you dumbs did was hurt the city I LOVE.”
