Conversation with

Evan Hansen Class of 1997

Evan Hansen is co-owner of Selden Standard, at 3921 Second, in Detroit’s midtown. Selden Standard was named the 2016 Hour Magazine Restaurant of the Year, and was the 2015 Detroit Free Press Restaurant of the Year.

You began college as a Biology major? How did you go from the Sciences to owning a restaurant?

When I started college at the University of Michigan, I was a microbiology major, thinking I’d go into medicine. Then I spent junior year working in a lab, and lost interest. I switched my major to English, and ended up with a minor in Biology. While at Michigan I also took some computer engineering courses, and am kind of a selftaught web designer. After graduation, I started working in the marketing office of the Liberal Arts College, doing some programming and copywriting. I ended up as Director of Marketing in the Dean’s Office before I quit in April 2013. All through school, I had the idea that I would like to own a high-end beer bar that served interesting food. In college, I did a lot of brewing, and then got interested in wine and cooking. The older I got, the more I knew I wanted to have my own business, and I kept coming back to this idea. I ran into a high school friend, Natasha Hollyday, who had gone to Bishop Foley and had been in the DLS musicals. Her husband Andy, a chef, was also interested in opening a restaurant. We opened in the Fall of 2014. Andy handles the kitchen, and I handle the business/marketingwebsite side, and also the bar, selecting beers and wines.

Your restaurant is in the midtown area, south of Wayne State University. Next to you was a vacant lot, filled with construction debris, trash and weeds. Now it’s a pocket park, with new walks,

landscaping, and lighting. Even though the area is filling in, with renovated apartment houses, there is still a lot of blight. Why there?

Most of my friends live somewhere in the city. Andy lives by the Detroit Institute of Arts. We had a sense that Detroit is the only place that this kind of restaurant could open. A lot of interesting things are happening in Detroit, and at Eastern Market. There are urban farms. I have friends opening small businesses, like record shops and cafés. There’s a certain energy and vibrance to it that doesn’t exist in other parts of Southeast Michigan. We were originally looking at a building by Eastern Market, and then this opportunity came up. The price was right. We were strong believers that at some point all of greater Downtown Detroit is going to be a place of good activity.

One aspect of Selden Standard that really stands out is the level of service. Customers encounter really enthusiastic knowledgeable people.

Evan Hansen ‘97

When we opened, we made a conscious decision to make warmth, friendliness, and hospitality a strong component of what we do. In designing the restaurant, we wanted to make it feel like you were coming to our house and having a big party. We like the shared-plate concept. We wanted a warm, welcoming staff. We try to find people most interested in what we are doing, and who are excited about engaging with guests. It rounds out the experience. We have about 75 staff all together, and in general 2⁄3 live in the city. A lot live in the neighborhood.

You’ve gotten recognition from the Detroit Free Press and Hour Magazine. Andy has the culinary training. He’s a semifinalist for the James Beard award as Best Chef: Great Lakes. How have these awards affected your business?

Neither Andy nor I could have imagined we’d be this successful this quickly. People have responded

to what we’re doing. It’s hard not to be excited and grateful. We’re very fortunate to have some big crowds. We’re packed all the time on the weekends. We have customers making reservations 30 days in advance, but we also reserve a certain number of seats every night for walk-ins.

In January, the Washington Post had a lengthy article about Detroit restaurants, saying, “Detroit is in the midst of a culinary transformation,” and specifically cited Selden Standard as one of several restaurants “reshaping Detroit’s reputation as a culinary destination.” Is Selden Standard influencing others?

The quality is evolving. But things are dramatically different that they were two years ago. People are more aware of their options. This renewed interest in the Detroit dining scene is good for all of us. Detroit is a “small town” when it comes to restauranteurs and small business owners. We’re focused on quality, but we’re not the only ones. It’s nice to see a diversification of restaurants with different focuses and cuisines.

You’ve been very successful. Any plans for another restaurant?

We feel we have a lot to do to fine tune the restaurant and make it the best it can be. If the right opportunity came along, we might consider it. My wife Susannah and I met in college and married in 2004. We live in Ferndale and have an eight-month old son. He keeps us pretty busy.