Pete's Place in the Press
The News Hareld
PUBLISHED: January 5, 2005
But for anyone who has ordered a meal at Pete's Place, the recipe for success is nothing new. In
fact, it's old fashioned cooking in a family style atmosphere that has made Pete's Place a Downriver
staple. There's nothing new about coming home for a good meal.
"We focus on the home cooking concept, emphasizing quality and freshness," said Pete, who moved to
the United States from Poland when he was 12 years old and opened his first restaurant when he was
just 19. "Customers feel as though they are guests in the home of good friends. It's not uncommon to
hear your name called out by one of our customers on a busy Sunday morning."
The first Pete's Place opened in Brownstown in December 1983, followed by the Taylor location in 1989.
The Ochabs, who live on Grosse Ile with their three children (Courtney, 14; Jacob, 6; and Joshua, 4),
approach the business the same way they run the business - with family in mind.
"I stay at home most of the time do the office work and paper work and payroll from home," said Brandy.
"Pete goes in everyday and is the one you see at the restaurants."
What you see at the restaurants are fresh foods and large portions. Very few people ever walk out of
Pete's Place still hungry.
"The dinners are very large portions," said Brandy. "We have really good salads and homemade soups that
are outstanding. A lot of people like our soups."
Pete stresses that "flavorful food" is prepared fresh daily.
"We provide products which are high in quality and superior in freshness," he said.
Toss in a friendly staff and homestyle atmosphere, and you get Pete's Place.
The Taylor location was recently renovated and the Ochabs celebrated a grand re-opening on Oct. 11.
The "place" may look new, but the philosophy and approach to business is the same. You don't need to
renovate success.
The original story can be found at: http://thenewsherald.com/stories/010505/bus_20050105028.shtml
The Downriver Profile
The Taylor Location
Pete's Place Restaurants; Beginning with the first Pete's Place opening in 1983, the restaurant blends the tradition of family, the celebration of friends, and home style cooking in an inviting, warm atmosphere. Pete's Place is known for flavorful foods prepared fresh daily and for the extreme hospitality encountered from its friendly servers. A main concern of ours is to provide products which are high in quality, generous in portions, and superior in freshness. We offer a distinct, fresh, healthy mix of American favorites prepared in a way that keeps folks coming back for more. It is hard for customers to choose from generous portions of hot breakfast dishes, delicious seafood, grilled steaks, lip smackin' good barbeque ribs, homemade soups, and hard to resist desserts. Customers feel as though they are guests in the home of good friends. This is the meaning behind the new slogan "Good Food, Fresh Service".
At The Dedication
At he Dedication:
Back Row From Left to Right: Rob Berlin (Marco Design Group), Reverend Dr. Geoffrey G. Drutchas (St. Paul UCC), Jim Phelps (Key Bank)
Front Row From Left to Right: Brandy Ochab, Peter Ochab, Jacklyn Molner (City Council Chairwoman), Gregory E. Pitoniak (Mayor City of Taylor)
Peter and Brandy Ochab are proud to announce that the renovation of the Taylor restaurant is complete. With help from Cubellis Marco Design Group in Northville, the restaurant was completely transformed from a dated looking diner to a beautiful, inviting, warm atmosphere inside and out. The Taylor restaurant now houses a coffee shop where you are able to purchase a cappuccino, latte, frappe, smoothie or other specialty coffee drink. The coffee shop area features a glass display case full of delicious, fresh baked cakes, cookies and pies. On Monday, October 11th 2004, the restaurant was dedicated by Mayor Gregory Pitoniak along with a blessing of the business by Rev. Dr. Geoffrey G. Drutchas from St. Paul UCC church in Taylor where Peter and Brandy are both members. The "place" may look new, but the philosophy and approach to business is the same.
The Detroit News
The Taylor Location
Velvet S. McNeil / The Detroit News
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Restaurateurs serve society
Community-oriented owners of Pete's Place beautify their Taylor site, prepare food for homeless.
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Comment on this story
TAYLOR -- Peter Ochab believes in sowing seeds to grow his restaurants and to help build the community.
"I work in the neighborhood," said Ochab, the owner of Pete's Place on Telegraph in Taylor. "I do what I can do to bring something to the neighborhood."
Ochab of Grosse Ile Township and his wife, Brandy, have run Pete's Place on Telegraph in Brownstown Township since 1983. They added their Taylor location in 1989.
Just as the Ochabs was investing $250,000 renovating his Taylor spot, traffic on Telegraph was disrupted for two years while the Michigan Department of Transportation rebuilt the major artery.
"It was like a war zone over here," Peter Ochab said. "But the new roadway and the new lighting is so nice now. We decided to do renovations because of the roadwork.
"It's an older building we have here. We completely renovated inside and outside."
Ochab said he bought the adjacent property to expand his parking lot and put in new landscaping, too.
When the redone restaurant reopened last October, Taylor Mayor Gregory E. Pitoniak officiated and the Rev. Geoffrey Dutchas of St. Paul United Church of Christ in Taylor gave the invocation.
Ochab's pastor, Dutchas, calls Pete's Place an all-American success story.
He described Ochab as "a hard-working, bright and caring fellow."
Ochab, an immigrant, and his family arrived on Detroit's west side when he was a boy. His mother, Veronica Ochab, makes the pierogies that are served at the restaurant.
Dutchas said the couple not only prepares food for the homeless, but they serve it, too.
"He's (Peter Ochab) actually been really great about helping out," Dutchas said. "He's always been community-oriented."
St. Paul belongs to the ChristNet Warming Center, a coalition of 55 Downriver churches that provides homeless shelters and soup kitchens on a rotating basis.
Peter Ochab said when Salvation Army Red Kettles were banned from certain Metro Detroit malls, he invited the church to set up a Red Kettle at his restaurant.
You can reach Chris Singer at (734) 462-2093 or csinger@detnews.com.