Dexter Leader News
Coley O’Brian, owner of Dexter’s AW.
DEXTER — Coley O’Brian, owner of Dexter’s AW on Dexter-Chelsea Road and Main Street, said recently that he has plans for further improvements for visitors to one of Dexter village’s most prized local businesses.
Last season, O’Brien altered the building and grounds of his business for both aesthetic and practical reasons.
PHOTOS: Dexter’s AW receives renovations
Those cruising into or out of the village near the viaduct toward the end of last season might have noticed new awnings and, at night, more brilliant lighting illuminating Dexter AW like a beacon.
“I was worried about the orange,” O’Brian said of the building improvements, which included a new wavy awning skirt around the bottom of his building’s roof, which is painted orange along with structural support beams holding that awning up, which were also refurbished.
In addition to the new lighting, O’Brien commissioned L-n-J Landscaping to building a brick patio with picnic table seating and a railed overlook into the downtown and Mill Creek Park.
“The problem we had to address with the awning was that it went straight across at the law point (of the skirt that replaced it), so vehicles like box trucks were constantly hitting it because that low point went all the way across,” O’Brien said.
A family friend had the idea to replace the awning, according to O’Brien. Some rough ideas were submitted to the AW All-American Foods, which has state headquarters in Westland. The corporate franchise architects turned those rough ideas into blueprints and O’Brien was tasked with hiring a company to put those plans into action.
O’Brien said he was at first concerned about going from the highly noticeable and unique teal color that once adorned his building, but he says he pleased with the end result in terms of the color palette as well.
Eventually, more lighting will be added to illuminate the building’s roof above the new skirt. Continued…
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The idea behind the design of the brick patio was to provide almost an extension of the recently completed and award-winning Mill Creek Park, which is just across the street.
“I like to think of it as almost a little extension of the park,” O’Brien said. “We wanted to mimic some of the stonework the village used, and with the extension to Hudson-Mills that just opened, we think it’s a great opportunity for our business.”
He added that there is a possibility of talks opening with the village this year on the possibility of having a sidewalk installed so pedestrians can more easily cross Dexter-Chelsea Road at the nearby intersection.
“That also seems to be a good fit with the theme locally of promoting and supporting pedestrian traffic,” O’Brien said. “Sometimes it’s rough getting over here from the village for people.”
There are also some new events and menu programming coming in 2014, including a monthly feature of a limited-time-only beverage, main meal item and side item beginning when the seasonal business opens its doors again March 1.
Being the parent of a three and a six-year-old, O’Brien said he also has some fun planned for children as well.
“I came up with this idea last season of having kids drives up in little electric cars — like a cruise for kids, where they drive around the parking lot, park and a car hop comes out and serves them and their parents,” O’Brien said.
- 1
- 2
- See Full Story
DEXTER — Coley O’Brian, owner of Dexter’s AW on Dexter-Chelsea Road and Main Street, said recently that he has plans for further improvements for visitors to one of Dexter village’s most prized local businesses.
Last season, O’Brien altered the building and grounds of his business for both aesthetic and practical reasons.
PHOTOS: Dexter’s AW receives renovations
Those cruising into or out of the village near the viaduct toward the end of last season might have noticed new awnings and, at night, more brilliant lighting illuminating Dexter AW like a beacon.
“I was worried about the orange,” O’Brian said of the building improvements, which included a new wavy awning skirt around the bottom of his building’s roof, which is painted orange along with structural support beams holding that awning up, which were also refurbished.
In addition to the new lighting, O’Brien commissioned L-n-J Landscaping to building a brick patio with picnic table seating and a railed overlook into the downtown and Mill Creek Park.
“The problem we had to address with the awning was that it went straight across at the law point (of the skirt that replaced it), so vehicles like box trucks were constantly hitting it because that low point went all the way across,” O’Brien said.
A family friend had the idea to replace the awning, according to O’Brien. Some rough ideas were submitted to the AW All-American Foods, which has state headquarters in Westland. The corporate franchise architects turned those rough ideas into blueprints and O’Brien was tasked with hiring a company to put those plans into action.
O’Brien said he was at first concerned about going from the highly noticeable and unique teal color that once adorned his building, but he says he pleased with the end result in terms of the color palette as well.
Eventually, more lighting will be added to illuminate the building’s roof above the new skirt.
The idea behind the design of the brick patio was to provide almost an extension of the recently completed and award-winning Mill Creek Park, which is just across the street.
“I like to think of it as almost a little extension of the park,” O’Brien said. “We wanted to mimic some of the stonework the village used, and with the extension to Hudson-Mills that just opened, we think it’s a great opportunity for our business.”
He added that there is a possibility of talks opening with the village this year on the possibility of having a sidewalk installed so pedestrians can more easily cross Dexter-Chelsea Road at the nearby intersection.
“That also seems to be a good fit with the theme locally of promoting and supporting pedestrian traffic,” O’Brien said. “Sometimes it’s rough getting over here from the village for people.”
There are also some new events and menu programming coming in 2014, including a monthly feature of a limited-time-only beverage, main meal item and side item beginning when the seasonal business opens its doors again March 1.
Being the parent of a three and a six-year-old, O’Brien said he also has some fun planned for children as well.
“I came up with this idea last season of having kids drives up in little electric cars — like a cruise for kids, where they drive around the parking lot, park and a car hop comes out and serves them and their parents,” O’Brien said.
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