Yellow Light Coffee & Donuts, the local chain known for its drip coffee and biscuit sandwiches, appears to be eyeing a third Detroit cafe, this time right downtown. A recent permit filing points to a possible new location at 242 John R Street, at the corner of John R and Center Streets, across from the Detroit Opera House.
The filing was first reported by WhatNow, which noted the spot would mark the company's first cafe in downtown Detroit proper. Yellow Light currently runs two locations: one at 14447 Jefferson Avenue and another at 2001 15th Street, Suite 101, inside Michigan Central Station, according to the same report. If it comes together, the John R Street address would become the company's third outpost overall.
The proposed site sits near Grand Circus Park, WhatNow reports, putting it within easy reach of downtown office workers, theatergoers and sports fans alike. The location is also described as a short walk from Comerica Park and Ford Field, placing it squarely in the path of gameday foot traffic. Nearby restaurants include Jose's Tacos and Fixins Soul Kitchen, per the same outlet's reporting.
What Yellow Light Serves
Yellow Light sells its own coffee, both brewed at its cafes and bagged for retail, the report states. Drip coffee, lattes, mochas and cappuccinos round out the drink menu at both existing locations, alongside doughnuts and biscuit sandwiches that have become something of a signature for the brand.
Doughnut flavors at Yellow Light have included vanilla bean, chocolate, birthday cake and key lime, according to the report. The shop pairs those with its biscuit sandwiches, giving it a foothold in both the coffee and quick-bite categories across its current footprint.
Ownership and Origins
Ownership of the company has been described differently across sources. WhatNow identifies Christine Driscoll and Niko Dimitrijevic as the owners, while Michigan Central describes the business as co-founded by In-Laws Hospitality owners Christine and Jacques Driscoll, alongside outside partner Niko Dimitrijevic.
Yellow Light's roots trace back to January 2020, when its Jefferson Avenue location first opened near Grosse Pointe Park, per WhatNow's reporting. Michigan Central's own account similarly places the brand's start in 2020, when Yellow Light opened as a drive-thru in Detroit's Jefferson Chalmers neighborhood.
Growth Into Michigan Central Station
The company's second act came inside Michigan Central Station in Corktown. Michigan Central had announced in September 2024 that Yellow Light would open off the station's east entrance later that year, offering takeout and dine-in service daily. That location went on to officially open at the renovated station, according to a report from Deadline Detroit, and Michigan Central's own materials describe it as the first food-and-beverage tenant in the building since its closure in 1988.
No formal announcement about the proposed John R Street cafe has been made by Yellow Light Coffee & Donuts, and WhatNow reports it is still awaiting comment from the owners on a potential opening timeline. For now, the permit filing stands as the only public indication that the company is looking to bring its coffee and doughnuts to the heart of downtown Detroit.
