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The Whitney Restaurant In 1986, a man named Richard Kughn turned the Whitney Mansion in Detroit Michigan into a restaurant. He had a distinct vision for his restaurant. He wanted to create one of the most elegant and spectacular restaurants that Detroit had to offer. In 1986 when his dream came to life, The Whitney restaurant was beautiful. The mansion was built with a rare variety of pink granite that is called South Dakota Jasper. The pink granite gives the Mansion its beautiful color.

History
The Whitney restaurant is located in Detroit, Michigan on 4421 Woodward Avenue. The Whitney was first a mansion that was specially made for a man named David Whitney Jr. who was the largest lumber baron in the Midwest, and philanthropist. The mansion was built in 1894. It was designed by architect Gordon W. Lloyd. When the Whitney was built, in its time, it was known as "the most elaborate and substantial residence in the northern part of the country". The mansion is 21,000 square feet, it has 52 rooms, 10 bathrooms, 218 windows, 20 fireplaces, a secret vault in the original dining room, and an elevator. The construction took four years at the cost of $400,000 (which is approximately $10,500,000in today’s economy). When David Whitney died in 1900, his four children, David C. Whitney, Grace Whitney Hoff, Katherine Whitney McGregor, and Flora Ann Whitney Demme continued to live in the house until the 1920's. The mansion then became the headquarters to the Wayne County Medical Society. They later sold the house to the Visiting Nursing Association. Richard Kughn then purchased the property in 1980 and in 1986 it became "The Whitney". The Whitney is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Hauntings of the Mansion
During the renovations for the restaurant, strange, and some say ghostly, things began to happen. The elevator went from floor to floor without passengers, cold spots were found in unairconditioned rooms, and people were seen walking into rooms and disappearing. A lot of people think that the Whitney is haunted by the ghost of David Whitney. To this day, employees of The Whitney are still reporting strange objects and ghosts that they see walking by and disappearing. Some staff said they heard utensils being stacked and tables being moved around, that only adds to the mystery of the mansion.

The Whitney's Food Selection
The Whitney is now known for being elegant and serving some of Detroit’s finest foods for a border-line expensive price. The Whitney’s menu consists of brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. There are separate menus for every serving time. The prices range from $10 to $40 a plate. The cheapest menu is the brunch menu, and of course the most expensive menu is the dinner menu. They have an excellent variety of food. The Whitney serves things like shrimp cocktail, Potatoes O’Brien, an assortment of soups, Caprese Pasta, Seared Duck Breast, Blackened Swordfish, Crème Brulee, etc. Private Dining Area Packages are available for a more sophisticated and intimate dining experience. The Whitney also has an extensive wine menu with about 250 selections of wine. The wine list is known as “The Whitney Collection”. The Whitney’s collection of wine comes from all over Michigan. The restaurant has very strict standards for their wine quality.

Other Places in the Whitney
Not only does the Whitney have a wonderful food and wine selection, they also have a place located in the restaurant called the “Ghost Bar”. The Ghost Bar is an exclusive upscale lounge located inside the Whitney on the third floor. The Ghost Bar is said to be where the spirits roam. It closes at 12:00am and they have live entertainment every Friday and Saturday. Along with the Ghost Bar, there is a room in the Whitney called “Flora’s Tea Room”, which is named after one of David Whitney’s daughters. Flora’s Tea Room offers a tea service Tuesday-Friday from 12-3pm and Saturday afternoons by appointment only. The Tea Room is located exactly where Flora’s room used to be. In the Tea Room, guests will enjoy a four course meal with a wide selection of The Whitney’s signature blend of tea served in unique hand painted china. The Whitney also has an open Garden, with a bar that serves drinks. It is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and on Sundays for brunch only. The garden offers a casual affair, and Tuesday through Friday, they have Happy hours from 4-6pm. There is also a wide selection of entertainment, from live bands to DJ’s. The restaurant also hosts weddings and other special events that can hold up to 400 guests. Critics say the Whitney is an exquisite place to go if you are looking for good food and a beautiful environment.