Renovations are currently underway at the now-closed Wurst Bar, a local Ypsilanti hangout located on Cross Street that was known for its karaoke nights and bratwurst menu offerings.
Wurst Bar closed its doors on Aug. 25, 2025. While the exact timeline of the renovation project is unknown, patrons can expect an entirely new business concept.
“It’s gonna be all new; fully new bar, fully new name, fully new menu—lot’s of new changes,” said Taylor Hamlett, Wurst Bar’s general manager up until its closure.
Last December, Wurst Bar changed owners, and revamping the business has been in the works since then, Hamlett said. The plan is to keep on all the employees who worked at Wurst Bar, she added.
“You’ll still have the same servers and bartenders that you loved before, we’ll just be at a different bar,” Hamlett said.
During the renovation period, employees who are eligible have applied for unemployment benefits, but many already had secondary jobs and are taking on more hours at those in the meantime, Hamlett said.
While the new concept for the space hasn’t been made public yet, patrons and locals can expect a positive change, Hamlett said.
“It’s something to look forward to because it is going to be fully renovated,” she said. “It’s going to be completely new inside, so it’ll be exciting to see.”
The bar’s new owner, Vince Ankawi, has some exciting new ideas, said Audrey Lucero, former Wurst Bar general manager, who worked at the business from 2019-2024. Lucero, who now lives in Arizona, said she knew of the expected transition as early as November of 2024.
“To see a new ownership and new life come into that building will be nice for a whole new generation of college students and locals,” Lucero said. “I can assume there’s going to be some great cocktails, because I’ve seen them mixing up some pretty awesome things back there.”
Ethan King, a junior studying aviation flight technology at Eastern Michigan University, said he enjoyed going to Wurst Bar when it was open and will miss its “rustic vibe.”
“I really liked how it kind of felt like a dive bar, but still a higher class and nicer,” King said.
For Lucero, the highlight of working at Wurst Bar for six years was the camaraderie she shared with her coworkers and the connections she made with patrons, especially the bar’s regulars.
“Thank you for all the years; I appreciated each and every person who walks through the doors and the company they brought; [...] the joy and purpose they brought to my work,” Lucero said. “My life is rich with stories because of these people.”
On Instagram, the bar thanked its patrons and teased the upcoming changes.
“Thank you all for your incredible support over the years,” said a post on the Wurst Bar’s Instagram page. “This location will be going through renovations, and while we’re sad to say goodbye to The Wurst Bar, we’re excited to share that something new is brewing … Stay tuned!”
