Tigris Detroit
All about the love of music
By Jenna Abroo
No matter where someone comes from, music is arguably one of life’s great shared experiences. From classical to Arab pop to jazz and hip hop and all the kinds in between, music has always been a great uniter of people.
But it’s even more than that—music is a way that we express ourselves, preserve our cultures, and connect with others. Grandiose gatherings centered around music is a concept almost as old as time itself. To dedicate one’s life to music is as noble an effort as any.
Fabian Halabou, 44, of Oak Park, is one great example of being one with music. Halabou is a Chaldean-American who is one of three owners of the new (and hip) cafe/hi-fi listening lounge in Southwest Detroit, called Tigris. Located at 2545 Bagley Street in the heart of Mexicantown, Tigris is a warm and inviting cafe by day (8am-5pm) and a cool and dynamic hi-fi listening lounge and bar by night (5pm-2am)
The story starts with Halabou explaining how he has always felt drawn to music and the arts.
“I’ve loved music from a very young age; it was always at the center of my life and interests,” he says. “My first two years of college were undecided. I spent so much of my time working in different recording studios, performing in bands, going to see live shows, and so many spaces that revolved around music. My dad had always owned party stores like many other Chaldeans, but that wasn’t the path he wanted for me.”
He warmly recalls how supportive his parents always were, and always strongly encouraged him to pursue his interests. “Eventually I stopped fighting my interest and decided to pursue music intentionally,” Halabou went on. “It was a pull that I couldn’t escape.”
He ended up graduating with his degree in telecommunications from Michigan State and has worked in the music industry and adjacent ever since, spending the last 15 years in music supervision. He calls music his “personal passion” and says it’s what made the most sense for him long-term.
While the inception of Tigris is new, the relationship of the three owners goes back much further than that. Fabian and Jacques Driscoll have been longtime friends for over 30 years, having been college roommates at Michigan State.
An opportunity to use the space that is now Tigris (which was previously a distillery) came about with the introduction of Driscoll’s friend Kenan Juska; the creation of Tigris itself was born out of a kismet business opportunity after the three-gentleman found that they had a great working chemistry and partnership.
Halabou was proud to say that all of the setup of Tigris was done with local contractors and vendors, right from the heart of Detroit and surrounding metro area, that includes a high-end custom audio system, and an acoustic treated listening room/bar that is open at night. The owners wanted to bring the focus of the experience solely on the music, ensuring that the environment was as genuine and curated as possible.
They wanted to create a space where people could gather and discover an intentional appreciation for all types of the best quality music. Their enormous collection of records is lined on all the walls of the bar and cafe; and most of the records were donated by the owners and general managers’ own personal collections.
The menu at Tigris is cleverly themed with local ingredients, but also ingredients that pay homage to our Chaldean culture like lahme ajin, zaatar pies, crushed pistachio topped donuts, along with the cocktails and mocktails—a zaatar martini, date syrup old-fashioned, and an arak old maid highball. There are also Iraqi-inspired bar snacks such as an assortment of house roasted nuts and olives.
It is obvious that every aspect of Tigris was created with intention and an exceptional attention to detail. When asked what advice he would give to other young Chaldeans hoping to break into the arts, music, or hospitality industries, Halabou pauses for a moment before answering.
“One of the first things is to find your community, whether that’s within our culture or in your area of interest. Stay as involved in that community as you can. Focus on what you’re passionate about, and network with like-minded people in the spaces that feel right. Those connections will help blossom into meaningful, fruitful relationships wherever you are.”
Halabou says that same philosophy guided the creation of Tigris. The team spent considerable time thinking about how they wanted guests to feel while they were in the space—and how they wanted them to feel when they left.
“We want our patrons to connect with the beauty of music, especially in a city like Detroit with such a rich music history. In today’s age, music consumption can be so digital and disposable. We want to combat that by creating a curated, immersive experience that reminds people what it’s like to fall in love with music all over again.”
Halabou concludes by saying how proud he is to share his Chaldean heritage while bringing together his passion for music in a space everyone can enjoy.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to share our culture with this community. Just like in Chaldean culture, Tigris places a strong emphasis on hospitality and creating the most welcoming experience possible for our guests. I recently visited Iraq for the first time with my entire family, and it reminded me how naturally our people extend hospitality better than most in their everyday lives. I wanted to carry that tradition into Tigris.”
Of course, I had to ask what inspired Halabou to name the space Tigris, along with using one of our famous ancient deities, the lamassu, as their mascot. Halabou’s answer was as poetic as the reason.
“It is important to share my culture with our guests, to preserve the lineage of our heritage in a familiar way. Growing up, we hear all of our rich history about the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers,” he explained. “How my parents grew up visiting and swimming in the Tigris, and how our ancestors have sustained life for over 6,000 years along these rivers, depending on them for survival. I used the name as a metaphor, just as the flow of a river is sustenance for the gathering and civilization for our people, music flows the same as the water, sustaining life for gatherings of people in an artistic way.”
Anyone who has the chance to visit Tigris will be able to see the care, intention, and detail that was put behind this space. This is a great spot to check out this summer, and be surrounded by an all immersive, luxury music experience with that familiar inspiration of our proud Chaldean culture.
Visit Tigris on Instagram at @TigrisDetroit or on their website at TigrisDetroit.com for information regarding hours and special events.