What The Elia Group does

The Elia Group is a privately held, integrated real estate development and hospitality company headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan, founded in 2012 by CEO Zaid Elia. The company combines property acquisition, historic restoration, ground-up development, and owner-operated hospitality under a single platform. Its portfolio spans Class A commercial real estate (notably 511 Woodward in the Detroit CBD, repositioned from decades of vacancy to the highest-rent asset in the CBD), award-winning restaurants including 220 Merrill (Birmingham), Parc Detroit (Campus Martius Park), and Experience Zuzu (Detroit, launched 2023), nightlife venues (Rose Room, Upstairs Bar, The Valentine Nashville), and seasonal F&B concepts at Campus Martius Park (Brisa Bar, Cadillac Lodge, Arctic Zone) operated through a partnership with the Downtown Detroit Partnership.

The company generates revenue through five distinct streams: direct ownership and operation of restaurants and nightlife venues; real estate development (acquisition, ground-up construction, value-add repositioning); property and asset management; Preferred Developer services for Starbucks (a 10-year relationship producing 5 standalone retail locations, including one of the busiest in Metro Detroit); and public-private partnership operations in Detroit and Nashville. Select enterprise counterparties include Capital One Financial Corporation (tenant at 511 Woodward and operator of the first Capital One Cafe in Metro Detroit), Starbucks Corporation, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, iCrave Design Firm, and country music star Kane Brown (announced March 2026 partnership for Kane Brown's on Broadway in Nashville).

Geographically, Elia Group has scaled beyond its Michigan base into Nashville, Tennessee, completing two downtown Nashville investments within 2024 alone and signing a flagship hospitality partnership with Kane Brown (expected summer 2026 opening). The leadership team of over 500 employees is led by Zaid Elia and includes executives with prior tenures at Bedrock Detroit, Greektown Casino, Jack Entertainment, Ritz Carlton, and MGM Grand — institutional expertise in Detroit real estate, hospitality operations, and complex transaction structuring. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent entity, and no public listing; growth has been self-financed or operationally funded.

Name

The Elia Group

Legal name

The Elia Group Complete, LLC.

Website

https://eliagroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Elia Group is a privately held, integrated real estate development and hospitality company that acquires, repositions, and operates landmark urban properties across Michigan (Detroit, Birmingham) and Tennessee (Nashville). It serves hospitality consumers through owner-operated restaurants and nightlife venues, real estate owners through development partnerships, corporate tenants such as Starbucks and Capital One, and municipalities through public-private partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real Estate Development & Hospitality

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Nightlife Venue Groups & Operators (Multi-Location) (MPAGAIAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD), Rooftop Bars & Outdoor Nightlife Venues (MPAGAIAF), Cabarets & Variety Nightlife (MPAGAIAI)

Keywords

• Commercial real estate development
• Hospitality venue operations
• Restaurant and nightlife management
• Property acquisition services
• Public-private partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Restaurant and Venue Operations: Direct ownership and operation of restaurants, nightclubs, and hospitality venues generating revenue from food, beverage, and event sales. Includes award-winning concepts like 220 Merrill, Parc Detroit, and Experience Zuzu.
2. Real Estate Development: Acquisition, development, and redevelopment of commercial properties including ground-up development and value-add acquisitions. Revenue generated through property appreciation, leasing, and eventual sale.
3. Property and Asset Management: In-house management services including property management, asset management, business operations, and project management for owned and partner properties.
4. Preferred Developer Services: Development services as Preferred Developer for Starbucks, acquiring and building standalone retail locations to corporate specifications.
5. Public/Private Partnership Operations: Food and beverage operations in public spaces through partnership with Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), operating venues around Campus Martius Park.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Elia Group acquires, develops, and operates commercial real estate and hospitality venues across Michigan and Tennessee. Its offerings span Class A commercial properties (e.g., 511 Woodward), award-winning restaurants (220 Merrill, Parc Detroit, Experience Zuzu, Brisa Bar), nightlife venues (Rose Room, The Valentine Nashville, Upstairs Bar), and seasonal venues (Cadillac Lodge, Arctic Zone), complemented by Preferred Developer services for Starbucks and public/private partnership operations at Campus Martius Park with the Downtown Detroit Partnership.

Product overview

Elia Group is a multi-faceted real estate development and hospitality company operating as a single integrated platform rather than separate modular products. The company acquires, develops, and manages commercial properties and hospitality venues across the United States. Their portfolio includes Class A commercial real estate (511 Woodward), award-winning restaurants (220 Merrill, Parc Detroit, Experience Zuzu), nightlife venues (Rose Room, The Valentine Nashville, Upstairs Bar), seasonal food and beverage operations (Brisa Bar, Cadillac Lodge, Arctic Zone), and preferred developer partnerships (Starbucks). The integrated model combines real estate development with hospitality operations, public/private partnerships, and brand development under a unified strategy focused on creating iconic experiences in unexpected locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rose Room: Nightlife venue operated by Elia Group
• The Valentine Nashville
• Upstairs Bar
• 220 Merrill
• Parc Detroit
• Brisa Bar
• Zuzu
• Cadillac Lodge
• Arctic Zone

Products and services

• 511 Woodward (Class A Commercial Real Estate) Class A commercial office and retail asset in downtown Detroit (acquired 2018; fully renovated 2020), housing Capital One Cafe on the first two floors (the first Capital One Cafe in Metro Detroit) and achieving the highest rents in the Detroit Central Business District. Tenants and partners seeking flagship urban office and retail space in Detroit.
• 220 Merrill Restaurant Award-winning restaurant in Downtown Birmingham, MI, housed in the restored Old Detroit Edison building (acquired 2014). Named one of the top 100 independently owned volume restaurants in America; honors include HOUR Magazine Best of Detroit (2016) and OpenTable Diner's Choice (2019, 2021, 2022, 2023). Diners, private event clients, and corporate event planners.
• Parc Detroit Restaurant Restaurant in Campus Martius Park, Downtown Detroit, reimagined from a former Au Bon Pain and under-performing American Bistro into an elevated culinary experience. Recognized by Detroit Free Press as Restaurant of the Year (2017), HOUR Magazine Restaurant of the Year (2018), and a Detroit News 4/4 star review. Diners and event guests in Campus Martius Park.
• Experience Zuzu Restaurant and Lounge First-of-its-kind immersive restaurant and lounge concept in Downtown Detroit, opened in 2023 and co-developed with design firm iCrave. Features fine dining combined with bespoke front- and back-of-house design, audio/visual technology, and a magnetic environment design. Diners seeking immersive dining experiences in Detroit, with additional Zuzu locations planned.
• Rose Room Nightlife Venue Nightlife venue operated by The Elia Group as part of its hospitality portfolio. Nightlife patrons in the Birmingham, MI area.
• The Valentine Nashville Venue 9,000-square-foot multi-level Nashville hospitality venue in Lower Broadway, acquired in May 2024 as Elia's second downtown Nashville investment within the year, featuring live music and events. Live music and event patrons in Nashville.
• Upstairs Bar Companion bar venue to Experience Zuzu, operating alongside the restaurant in the 511 Woodward building in Detroit. Bar patrons and event guests.
• Brisa Bar (Seasonal Summer Venue) Seasonal summer outdoor bar at Campus Martius Park, operated by The Elia Group as part of its Downtown Detroit Partnership F&B operations. Park visitors and diners during the summer season.
• Cadillac Lodge (Holiday Season Venue) Holiday season venue at Campus Martius Park operated by The Elia Group under its public-private partnership with the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Park visitors during the holiday season.
• Arctic Zone (Winter Season Venue) Winter season venue at Campus Martius Park operated by The Elia Group as part of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. Park visitors during the winter season.
• Starbucks Preferred Developer Services Preferred Developer services for Starbucks Corporation: Elia Group acquires, coordinates, and builds standalone Starbucks retail locations to Starbucks' specifications. 10-year working relationship has produced 5 locations, including one of the busiest in Metro Detroit. Starbucks and corporate retail clients seeking build-to-suit retail development partners.
• Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) Public/Private Partnership Operations Public-private partnership with the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) operating all food and beverage concepts in and around Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit, including Parc Detroit, Brisa Bar, Cadillac Lodge, and Arctic Zone. DDP and public-sector partners seeking operators to program and activate urban public spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220 Merrill named one of top 100 independently owned volume restaurants in America
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Kane BrownflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Country music star Kane Brown is opening Kane Brown's on Broadway in Nashville with Elia Group serving as hospitality development partner. The four-level, 11,400 square foot venue at 312 Broadway (former location of The Valentine) will feature a restaurant, bar, and live music venue, expected to open summer 2026.
• iCrave Design FirmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022World-renowned design firm iCrave partnered with Elia Group for comprehensive development of the Experience Zuzu restaurant concept and Zuzu Brand, working through exhaustive design and brand development including material selections, furnishings, and audio/visual technology.
• Capital One Financial CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021Capital One Financial Corporation is a tenant at 511 Woodward, leasing and building out the first two floors into Capital One Cafe. This was the first Capital One Cafe opened in the Metro Detroit area, representing Elia Group's ability to attract major corporate tenants.
• Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Beginning in 2016 through the acquisition of Parc Restaurant, Elia Group's close working partnership with DDP expanded to encompass all food and beverage operations in and around Campus Martius Park. DDP is a private-public partnership providing leadership in public space concepts, design, programming, and placemaking, catalyzing economic development in Wayne County.
• Starbucks CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElia Group serves as a Preferred Developer for Starbucks, acquiring, coordinating, and working directly with the Starbucks team to build standalone retail locations to the exacting specifications of Starbucks Corporation. The 10-year working relationship has resulted in 5 Starbucks locations, including one of the busiest in Metro Detroit at Campus Martius Park.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Madison Marquette: Commercial real estate investment, development, and operating platform focused on mixed-use urban town centers. Comparable as an operator-investor that combines property ownership with on-site F&B and entertainment tenant curation.
• Ryman Hospitality Properties: Nashville-based owner/operator of large-scale hospitality and live entertainment venues including the Grand Ole Opry and Gaylord Hotels. Most directly comparable to Elia's Lower Broadway nightlife-plus-real-estate strategy and validates the Nashville hospitality theme.
• Hakkasan Group: Global hospitality company operating premium nightlife, restaurant, and dayclub venues (OMNIA, Hakkasan, Yauatcha). Comparable model of multi-venue F&B and nightlife operator targeting experiential guests in gateway cities.
• Tao Group Hospitality: National operator of upscale restaurant, nightlife, and daylife venues (Tao, Marquee, Lavo). Comparable business model of high-end, design-forward food and beverage venue operations in major metros.
• The Cordish Companies: Family-owned developer and operator of entertainment districts (Power & Light District, Fourth Street Live!). Shares Elia's integrated real estate + nightlife F&B operator model anchored in landmark urban locations.
• Bedrock Detroit: Dan Gilbert's Detroit-based real estate and hospitality platform. Competes with Elia Group for talent, development deals, and nightlife tenants in the same downtown Detroit market and shares the integrated RE + hospitality operator thesis.

Broad incumbents

• Soho House: Globally scaled membership-based hospitality and venue operator. A broader incumbent in the hospitality-plus-experiential segment, comparable to Elia's experiential positioning though larger and publicly listed.
• Sterling Bay: Chicago-based commercial real estate developer of large-scale office, life-sciences, and mixed-use urban projects. Broader incumbent in urban landmark development, sharing Elia's opportunistic, design-led approach to underutilized urban assets.

Emerging players

• Punch Bowl Social: Food-and-beverage concept that combines casual dining with entertainment (bowling, karaoke, games). Comparable as a multi-unit "eatertainment" venue operator, though at a more mass-market positioning than Elia's premium venues.

Regional players

• Inspired Entertainment: Operator of gaming, leisure, and hospitality venues with venue-based entertainment focus. Adjacent peer given the venue-based, experiential nature of Elia's nightlife and live-music concepts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-elia-group-llc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Elia Group