Liquor license transfer fuels speculation that these popular Ferndale spots are changing ownership

Could the popular Ferndale spots Public House and Antihero be leaving the Working Class Outlaws restaurant group? A pair of liquor license transfers would suggest so, though ownership is tight-lipped for now.

Eater Detroit reports that the liquor licenses for Public House and Antihero appear to be undergoing a transfer of ownership to an entity registered to Brian Kramer of Kramer Restaurant Group, which owns nearby restaurants including Pop’s For Italian, Rosie O’Grady’s, and One-Eyed Betty’s.

Restaurant group Working Class Outlaws owns Public House, Antihero, and the popular taco spot, Imperial. The group was rocked by allegations of a toxic workplace this summer, including allegations of sexual harassment against former WCO operations manager Jeff King. King stepped down in July, and in August WCO's Sharon and Perry LaVoisne said they bought out King's remaining shares in the organization.

WCO told Eater that a sale had not taken place, while Kramer declined to comment other than to say a full statement would come by next week.

Public House, a cocktail bar, and Antihero, which has a Japanese izakaya-theme, were slated to reopen in August — but the businesses remain closed for now.

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