Shield's pizza ready to return to Detroit

Louis Aguilar / The Detroit News

DETROIT -- The beloved Shield's pizza restaurant, which fled Detroit two decades ago for the suburbs, is returning to the heart of the city. The Troy-based franchise intends to sign a lease this week to operate a restaurant and bar downtown in the Kales Building Lofts across the street from Grand Circus Park.

"We kind of abandoned Detroit. It's an exciting move to come back," said Paul Andoni, 41, who, along with his brother Peter, owns Shield's Franchise Restaurants LLC. The company started as a bar in 1937 on the corner of Shields and Davison streets on Detroit's east side. Shield's later began serving pizzas and salads and gained fame for its square, deep-dish pizza, then as a popular gathering spot for families, politicians and athletes.

Like many retailers, Shield's followed the money to the suburbs. The restaurant left the city of Detroit in the mid-'80s, closing a restaurant near the Lodge Freeway and Woodward Avenue as well as the original east side spot. Shield's now runs eateries in Southfield, Troy and Dearborn, along with franchises in Warren and Clinton, Macomb and Commerce townships. Two years ago, Detroit News readers voted Shield's the best pizza in Michigan.

"It's not a sentimental decision," to return to Detroit, Andoni said. "It makes good business sense to be downtown right now."

Shield's will occupy the lobby and basement (a 7,000-square-foot space) of the Kales building at the corner of West Adams and Park avenues on the west side of Grand Circus Park. The 18-story building once was the headquarters of the S.S. Kresge's dime store chain. It now houses 117 loft apartments.

If things go as planned, Shield's will open by summer, joining a number of bars -- Cliff Bells, the Park and Centaur -- that have set up shop recently on Park Avenue around the block from the Kales building. Also coming is Angelina's Bistro, which announced last week that it secured a $200,000 loan from the Detroit Economic Development Corp. and plans to open across from Grand Circus Park near the Detroit Opera House.

The new Shield's Detroit restaurant will be within walking distance of the Fox Theatre complex; Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions; and Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers.