"We want to contribute to the social district," Ashley Sevenski told WITL after the Unicorn Bar reopened. "We want to contribute to helping bring people here."
Sevenski co-owns the bar with Bob Fata. The building at 327 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. had been dark since the pandemic. It opened again on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, the same weekend Michigan BluesFest filled Old Town. Her quote describes more than one bar. Old Town's fall changes all lean toward evenings: a nighttime anchor came back, the calendar fills after work, and the daytime side of the strip lost a bakery in September. If you live nearby, the best time to see what Old Town is turning into this season is a weeknight, from now until Krampusnacht.
Opening Night Was A BluesFest Night
The reopening date wasn't random. Fata and Sevenski first hoped to open in July, according to WITL's earlier report. They opened on Sept. 18 instead, during Michigan BluesFest, the festival that fills Old Town with musicians and crowds. The blues band Northside Rhythm Kings played opening night, and Sevenski told the Lansing State Journal it was a packed house.
The building has had a bar in it for nearly half a century, first as the Unicorn Tavern and then as the Unicorn Lounge. The new owners told the State Journal they want to honor Tommy Malvetis, who bought the bar in 1978 and ran it for decades. The Gillespie Group bought the property in 2017 and gave it the makeover the State Journal called an extreme dive-bar transformation. Fata and Sevenski lease the building from Gillespie. According to WITL, that 2017 makeover added new flooring, windows, lighting, a back bar, and a sound system.
The owners haven't tried to turn it into something new. According to WITL, here's what's inside:
- Live music, which the owners told the State Journal will be a regular thing
- Pool tables and pool leagues
- Sports on TV
- Drinks and popcorn
- Pizza from Fata's Westgate Tavern, which Sevenski called a staple
We didn't find published hours or a full menu. The bar posts updates on its Facebook page, so check there before you go.
A Redesign Built For Busy Nights
The changes the owners did make all point toward crowds. WITL reported a new server station and more staff, both meant to get drinks out faster on busy nights. Those upgrades are aimed at the nights when music is playing and people are moving between venues on Cesar Chavez.
That's where the social district quote fits in. Sevenski said she wants the Unicorn to work alongside its Old Town neighbors instead of competing with them. For someone who lives within walking distance, that means one more lit storefront and one more reason to stay out after dinner.
"We want to contribute to the social district. We want to contribute to helping bring people here." Ashley Sevenski, co-owner, speaking to WITL
The Daytime Side Of The Strip Since June
The daytime picture shifted too, but in both directions. Summer brought two new shops. That Candy Store opened June 27 at 1232 Turner St. It sells classic candies like Big League Chew, Bottle Caps and Whoppers, according to WITL. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., so it covers the afternoon-into-early-evening window. The Lansing State Journal reported that Old Town Card Spot also opened that month.
In September, the strip lost a morning stop. Cinnamon Lane Bakery at 119 E. Cesar E. Chavez Ave. announced on Sept. 16 that its Old Town location had closed for good. The State Journal's September openings and closings roundup quoted the bakery's thanks to "every person who walked through those doors, ordered a cinnamon roll, grabbed a coffee, brought a friend." Its Hartland location is still open.
If you're looking for a breakfast stop near downtown, the closest new option is on the other side of the river. The same State Journal roundup reported that The Morning Post, a breakfast and lunch restaurant that already operates in East Lansing, opened a second location at 637 E. Michigan Ave. It's in the former Clara's building, which it shares with Starbucks. The roundup didn't give an exact opening date. D'Nulffos Seafood & Chophouse was announced for the same building, but we haven't seen confirmation that it's open.
So Old Town gained two shops and lost its early-morning bakery, while its biggest fall addition is a bar built for nights. The calendar for the rest of the year leans the same way.
The Weeknight Calendar Between Now And December
Old Town's community calendar lists regular events that run right up to the holidays. Most start after work.
Tuesday trivia at Ozone's Brewhouse, 305 Beaver St., 6 p.m.
- Oct. 13, 20 and 27
- Nov. 3, 10, 17 and 24
- Dec. 1, 8 and 15
Open Jam at Elderly Instruments, 1100 N. Washington Ave.
- Thursday, Oct. 15, 5 to 6:30 p.m.
- Thursday, Nov. 19, 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Put those together and Old Town has a set Tuesday night for the next nine weeks and two Thursday sessions at Elderly Instruments. The Unicorn, with live music and pool leagues, sits on Cesar Chavez between them. If the owners schedule shows around these nights, a weeknight in Old Town could easily include more than one stop.
Krampusnacht Closes Out The Season On Dec. 5
The biggest date on the calendar is Old Town Krampusnacht on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026, on East César E. Chávez Avenue. The Greater Lansing event listing describes a parade, a market, a costume contest, vendors, games and activities, and says admission is free.
The start time isn't settled yet. The same listing gives 3 to 8 p.m. in its date field and 4 to 9 p.m. in its overview. Watch the Old Town calendar for the confirmed time. Either way, the event runs into the evening on the same street where the Unicorn just reopened.
If you live near Old Town and you've wondered what this kind of momentum means for your street, I'm glad to talk it through. At Heidi Smith, I follow openings like the Unicorn's because they change how a neighborhood feels day to day. Schedule a free consultation, and we can talk about what these changes mean for your home and your plans.
