The Big Opening

It's been just over a week since the opening party and I've only now had the chance to sit down and try to collect my thoughts. Here they are: Holy Shit.

You kids sure love a party. Best guess is over 300 folks showed up to welcome Hugh to Midtown. All I know is we went through six cases of bubbly (and three bottles of San Pellegrino) in four hours. Drunks, the lot of you. Come back soon.

Here are some photos I cribbed from Facebook and Twitter of the event, since I didn't have a chance to think about getting someone to take pics at the party.

Ted Balowski and Nick Gorga, founders of Hatch Detroit and the people
who really made this happen.  This isn't a red-eye problem by the way,
 Ted's eyes actually look like that. It's weird.

My old friends from Ann Arbor drove out, and got this pic of me with my family.
That's my mom Peg Posch in the foreground, you may remember she was my pit bull
during the Hatch competition.

Me giving thanks and extolling the importance of independent business in Detroit.
They give our neighborhoods their personalities and they rule. Support them all.

That's right, a champagne pyramid. That's Kyle pouring with me, she is awesome
and has helped me at every Hugh party since the first one. She was also a partner
in the Woodbridge Gypsy Den & Tearoom, the first runner-up in our Hatch finals.
And yes we are still friends.  Detroit people are awesome that way.

You know what was cool? Having a random photo show up on Twitter.
This was it. Thanks @southernpantry!

Jim, it's all about Hugh.

This is the view from the sales desk as I saw it, bleary-eyed by 9pm.

Let me assure you Hugh would not have happened without the help
of my #1 guy, Dennis. I really look ridiculous here but he looks nice.
Those matching boutonniers are from Lisa at Pot & Box!

There were lots of great gifts from folks, including this amazing arrangement
from Lisa at Pot & Box, a fellow Hatch Detroit semi-finalist.

It wasn't until after the party I read the card. Ain't she a peach?

There are more photos out there, I will organize them into an album on our Facebook page and you can look at them late at night when you are drunk or at work.  If you have any pictures of the Hugh opening party I would love to get them! E-mail them to me at hugh@thankhugh.com or post them on our Facebook wall or Tweet them to me @thankhugh.

And speaking of thankhugh, THANK YOU everyone for really turning out and having fun.  That is what Hugh is all about: having a stylin' good time in Detroit.