Paradise By The City Lights – Kean’s Marina is a Detroit Gem!
From the moment I pulled up to the gate and hit the buzzer, I could tell I was in for a rare treat at Kean’s Marina (100 Meadowbrook St, Detroit). Kean’s staff is one of the friendliest groups of people I have ever met. I felt more and more welcome as the night went on by both the staff and the local boaters.
In our continuing series on the people and places that make boating great, we visited Kean’s Marina on the Detroit River and we were not disappointed.
First thing you notice is everything is clean and manicured, from the flowers to the colorful adirondack chairs that line the boardwalk, everything is neat.
There is a great mix of tenants at Kean’s and everyone seems to know everyone. Just about all the boaters I talked to had been there 5+ years with a few 25+. “Longer than both my marriages combined,” stated one boater!
While I waited for Monica “Mo” as she is called by everyone at the outdoor Tiki Bar next to the kidney-shaped pool and hot tub, I decided to walk around and get a feel for the the place and take some pictures.
First stop is Len’s fuel dock and store where I’m greeted by a big “Hello!” as I walk in and explain why I’m here. “Whatever you need” was the answer I got as I looked around and snapped a few pictures. Fully loaded with beer and snacks, they also have a grill going on the weekends as well as gas and a pump out. They had a steady stream of traffic and again everyone was greeted warmly by the friendly staff.
The Tiki Bar is the main attraction on the weekends. With good stiff drinks and the friendly atmosphere, we forgot we were there to do a review. Drinks are not the only thing on the menu, they are also known for their fish fry’s on Fridays! Current hours are:
Friday 4pm to 2am
Saturday 11am – 2am
Sunday 11am-10pm
Kean’s Marina has 4 docks that have a total of 355 wells. With wells to 60’ and 16’ wide, just about anything on the River and Lake will fit. All of the docks are well maintained and have power and water and are well-lit. Even though the docks are long fingers, they are more than wide enough to handle heavy traffic. They also have transit wells for anyone looking to spend the night or weekend downtown.
I sat down with one of Kean’s owners Jim Cummins and April the general manager and it quickly became very clear these two want to provide the best possible boating facility that they can. “Kean’s is truly a destination spot,” said Jim “We are within minutes of Downtown Detroit, so bring your boat down and grab a limo or Uber to the baseball game, concert or any other event that is going on downtown.”
The Jobbie Crew is glad we found this little paradise in the city lights. So, next time you want a boating destination go to Kean’s and their Tiki Bar and tell them the Jobbie Crew sent you!
Kean’s Marina Facts:
Kean’s Marina
100 Meadowbrook St.
Detroit, MI 48214
Latitude: 42º 21’ 42” Longitude: 82º 58’ 27
(313) 822-4500
www.keansmarina.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pages/Keans-Marina/177530548929206
Amenities:
- Pool
- Hot tub
- Patio deck
- Children’s play area
- Bathrooms/Showers
- Laundry facilities
- Free wireless internet
- Water/Electric
- Gated access
- Picnic areas with grills
- Limo shuttle service available
- View of waterfront events
- Club Kean and Tiki Bar
- Banquet facility
Services
Repairs
Len’s Marine Service
(313) 821 – 2496
Engines, drives, and transmissions
Underwater damage
Equipment Installation
Fiberglass
Ship Shape Yacht Care
(313) 824 – 4111
Fiberglass repair
Boat painting and restoration
Woodworking and maintenance
Upholstery
Lake Shore Boat Top
(586) 465 – 1731
Boat tops and covers
Cushions and custom interiors
Sailboat dodgers
http://www.lakeshoreboattop.com/
Boat store
Gas Dock
Len’s Gas Dock
(313) 821 – 2496
Full service
- Convenience store
- Diesel/pumpouts
Storage
- Inside
- Outside
Boat sales
St. Clair Yacht Sales
(313) 824 – 0610
- Boat broker
- Boat demo
Monica is no longer with the Tiki Bar and the staff and management are horrible.
That is too bad. It seemed like a fun place when we were there last year!
Monica is no longer with the Tiki Bar and the staff and management are horrible.
That is too bad. It seemed like a fun place when we were there last year!