Over 150,000 people are expected to visit downtown Detroit this Memorial Day weekend, and a new restaurant is ready to serve them. The Haus of Brunch, which opened this week, is bringing a unique dining experience to the city's food scene.

The restaurant, located at The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, offers a completely halal menu with everything made in-house.

Watch Faraz's full piece in the video below: New halal brunch spot opens in downtown Detroit ahead of busy Memorial Day weekend

"Currently, we have 85 people capacity in the dining room. Eventually, we will have the patio open up as well to fit another 30 people," said Maher Obeid, owner of Haus of Brunch.

Obeid says he and his team strategically timed the opening to coincide with the Memorial Day weekend festivities.

"Well, we are definitely overstaffed. My CFO is talking about how much ... people we have on payroll. But it's all for good reason. So, purchasing and making sure we have all the products in-house. Getting the team up and rolling," Obeid said.

The weekend brings multiple major events to Detroit, including The Weeknd performing at Ford Field, Tigers games, and the Movement festival. These attractions are drawing visitors from both near and far.

"I have a lot of family in Detroit. It's all about the Tigers. My cousin Sue loves the Tigers. She lives down the street. So huge fan there and my other cousins, it's all about lake time, it's all about spending time with family, and getting out to the city. And then seeing all the buildings, the Guardian Building," said Tracy, a visitor from Atlanta, enjoying the holiday weekend.

Steve, another visitor, shared his perspective on the city's evolution. "We have been coming down here, St. Patrick's Church of Detroit which isn't around anymore. But her uncle was a pastor but we would come down for the festivals, Cass Corridor just to see how things gotten better, cleaner and more people friendly."

Opening during such a busy weekend presents challenges, but Obeid feels prepared.

"Yeah honestly, it is [overwhelming], but we are covering ourselves by adding more bodies on the floor. But working diligently. We have been here maybe 16 hours a day with the whole team just to make sure how things are rolling. And what to anticipate with these weekends," Obeid said.

To manage rising costs, Obeid is focusing on smart ordering practices and credits his executive Chef Ashley Thomas and team for creating a well-rounded, budget-friendly menu.

What makes Haus of Brunch stand out is its commitment to halal food preparation.

"We are a completely halal scratch kitchen. So we make everything in-house. And we don't serve any alcohol or pork," Obeid said.

When asked about potential lost revenue from not serving alcohol, Obeid remains confident in their business model.

"We have other items on the menu, like our mocktails and specialty coffee, that we can provide, but for the most part, the food and the ingredients and everything else we do overlooks that," he said.

Click here to learn more about Haus of Brunch.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A Wyandotte ice cream shop that was on the verge of closing its doors has found new life thanks to social media and community support.

Yogurt Co., an 11-year-old business on Biddle Avenue in downtown Wyandotte, has become a local hotspot with lines stretching out the door. The surge in popularity is largely due to their signature "Dubai Cup" dessert.

"Probably the greatest ice cream I've ever had. So many different tastes and flavors," said Jeff Kerekes, a local resident and founder of the Downriver and Friends Facebook page.

The Dubai Cup, inspired by the viral dessert Dubai Chocolate, features fresh strawberries layered with crunchy knafeh pistachio cream and other secret ingredients. Yogurt Co. launched this creation earlier this year.

But the path to success wasn't always sweet. Owner Ali Mahfouz reveals the business nearly didn't survive.

"It was very tough, man. I had to cut employee hours, I had to work, me and my wife," said Mahfouz.

From rising operational costs to limited customers, Mahfouz and his wife struggled to keep their business afloat.

"We closed for the winter because it was so bad. But yeah, we were on the verge," said Mahfouz.

Even after introducing the Dubai Cup, business remained slow until Mahfouz connected with Kerekes.

That Facebook post brought the community out in support, but it was a 3-year-old social media star who truly made the dessert go viral.

Ace Morris, known online as "It's Ace's World," has over 400,000 followers on Instagram and 1.8 million views on TikTok. His dance post about the Dubai Cup created a sensation.

"Celebrity Ace came, and after it was even busier, and I had to hire more staff," said Mahfouz.

Ace's mother, Melissa Morris, never expected her son's social media presence would have such an impact.

"What a blessing it is that we can share, what platform we have to help businesses in our communities, even if it's just minimally," said Morris.

The young influencer has already made appearances on the Jennifer Hudson Show and visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"If Ace can just continue to be humble and kind, and change lives, or even just remind people of a time they felt so much joy in their life, I would be so happy and proud of him," said Morris.

Now thriving, Mahfouz is focused on giving back to the community that saved his business. He supports local causes including Wyandotte Block Out Cancer to help kids and funding for elementary schools.

Despite economic challenges, Mahfouz has committed to keeping prices stable on his menu items.

"To be patient. To really focus on what you love and the right time will come," said Mahfouz about what the experience has taught him.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

A 21-year-old man from Detroit has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred at a Foot Locker parking lot in Eastpointe on Saturday afternoon.

Watch Faraz Javed's video report: 21-year-old Detroit man charged, 19-year-old in custody in fatal Eastpointe shooting

Dejuan Jermain Taylor faces four felony counts:

Count 1: Tampering With Evidence, a felony punishable up to 10 years. Count 2: Firearms Larceny, a felony punishable up to five years. Count 3: Carrying Concealed Weapon, a felony punishable up to five years. Count 4: Larceny less than $200, a misdemeanor punishable up to 93 days.

A $250,000 bond has been set. The charges come after Taylor's 19-year-old sister, who is the alleged shooter, turned herself in to authorities on Monday in the presence of her attorney. She is expected to be arraigned Wednesday.

According to the Macomb County Prosecutor's office, Taylor and his sister were in the parking lot when an argument erupted with another group before entering the store. Taylor reportedly got into a physical altercation with the group, one of whom had a gun. When Taylor was overpowered, his sister allegedly ran back to get her gun and fired upon the group, killing two people and injuring another, as well as injuring Taylor.

ORIGINAL REPORT: 4 shot, 2 killed in parking lot of Foot Locker in Eastpointe 4 shot, 2 killed in parking lot of Foot Locker in Eastpointe

It's also alleged that before fleeing the scene with his sister, Taylor took a gun and some magazines from one of the injured.

One of the victims was identified as Steven Gardin Jr., known as "Little Steve" among friends and family. The 18-year-old would have turned 19 on May 17.

"It had nothing to do with him," said Gardin Sr.

Little Steve had come from North Carolina to visit his father and extended family. He was planning to meet his aunt on Monday to discuss moving back to Detroit.

"His laugh and the way he stuttered like me," said Gardin when asked what he would always remember about his son.

"He wasn't hard to get along with. That was my baby. I potty trained him," said Anthenetha Johnson, Little Steve's aunt.

Another victim, identified only as "Poppy," a 24-year-old relative of the Gardin family, was also injured in the shooting. Johnson says he is stable but has a long road of recovery ahead.

When asked about the shooter turning herself in, Gardin expressed some relief.

"A little bit, not at peace but I feel a little bit better," said Gardin.

Johnson wondered about the shooter's state of mind after the incident.

"I was thinking what she was thinking once it was done. Was she feeling remorseful? I mean, nothing can be done to change it," said Johnson.

Taylor is scheduled to appear in court on May 20. Little Steve's family has set up a GoFundMe for burial expenses.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Metro Detroit's biggest and best used book and media sale kicked off Sunday at Laurel Park Place in Livonia.

Celebrating its 21st year, Bookstock once again offers spectacular deals on used books and DVDs, vinyl and CDs.

Jujuan Banks woke up early Sunday morning to attend the annual Bookstock opening day.

"I've been trying to collect books for a few years now. It's been about four years since we've had the house now, and we've been trying to build a library at home," Jujuan said.

His wife, Katrice, is the love of his life and his partner in crime at the event.

"She instantly let me loose," he said.

With over 400,000 gently used books and media on sale, Banks gravitated towards Star Wars books while his wife went a different route.

"I love my history. I love reading about my people. The biggest difference between this year and last year, this year it's more categorized," Katrice said.

With merchandise refreshed daily, Bookstock has something for everyone, and most items are priced at $3 or less.

Since Bookstock's inception, around $3.2 million has been distributed to literacy and educational projects throughout Oakland and Wayne counties.

"I think reading is really important, to give yourself something extra that you probably didn't get, or learn something new when you read," Katrice said. "I love reading. I love learning. And my husband loves it, so we bond over that too."

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