O'Kelley Knights of Columbus hall closing in Dearborn after 40 years

A Dearborn staple known for its Lenten fish fries, live music, weddings and more will soon close its doors after more than 40 years of operation. 

The building that houses Knights of Columbus Council 3860, as well as O'Kelley Lounge and O'Kelley Banquet Hall, was listed for sale last month by Realtor Signature Associates. The businesses and fraternal organization are located at 23663 Park Street near Outer Drive and Michigan Avenue. The asking price for the property is $1,250,000. 

Deputy Grand Knight Robert Clavaglia said the building association in the past had sold off property to cover budget shortfalls, and now that money is "getting relatively low."  Managing the bar and banquet center was taking up a lot of energy for the Catholic organization, and now they wish to dedicate more time to the organization's core mission: community service. 

"The sale of the property will allow us to focus more on the parishes and the community of Dearborn and Dearborn Heights without the burden of managing a banquet hall and lounge," Clavaglia said. 

The Father Patrick O'Kelley Knights of Columbus Council 3860 has been in service for almost 65 years, hosting its first meeting in June 1954. According to its website, the chapter branched off from the Bishop Foley Council in east Dearborn after members suggested there should be a council on the west side of town. The council is named after Father Patrick O'Kelley, a missionary priest who served in Dearborn and a majority of southeast Michigan. 

The council consists of the churches Sacred Heart, St. Kateri and St. Alphonsus-St. Clement in Dearborn, as well as St. Albert the Great, St. Anselm, St. John the Baptist and St. Sebastian churches in Dearborn Heights. 

The building that serves as the headquarters for the council was built in the 1960s, said Clavaglia. 

Clavaglia said the council will remain active after the building is sold and is still deciding on a new meeting location. However, the council is not looking for another space for O'Kelley Lounge and O'Kelley Banquet Hall. Until the building sells, folks can still get Lenten fish at the lounge starting Wednesday and continuing on Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The deputy said many of the organization's parishes have banquet centers and gyms of their own that the organization can use for events and gatherings such as its Special Olympics dinner and fundraisers for the Friends for Animals of Metro Detroit. 

History of the Knights of Columbus

Knights of Columbus was founded in 1882 by Father Michael McGivney in New Haven, Connecticut, as a fraternal organization for Catholic men. According to the organization's website, K of C was created to prevent men from joining secret societies that went against the teachings of the Catholic Church, bring unity to the men who practiced the faith and to provide for families of deceased members. 

Fellowship is also promoted through charitable, educational, religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works. The organization's charitable efforts include national nonprofits such as Habitat for Humanity and the Special Olympics, as well as its own initiatives, Food for Families and Coats for Kids. 

K of C has 15,900 councils and 1.9 million members in North America and parts of Central America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. 

While membership has declined, the Dearborn council currently has 702 members, said Clavaglia. 

Moments of life

Christian Outreach Chairman Mike Greco said the hall is filled with memories. Greco ran wild game dinners there for several years and held fundraisers to send young people to Youth World Day, an international event held by the Catholic Church every two to three years. He also held personal events at the hall, such as his retirement party from Ford and his oldest son's wedding reception. 

Greco said he is sad to see the building go, but "it will be a burden lifted."

"It cost us a lot to keep the hall up," Greco said. "If we can use those funds to help people, then it will be worth it."

Barbara Butler is also sad to see the building go up for sale. She served as the first female manager of O'Kelly's Lounge and Banquet Hall from 2009 until she suffered a stroke in 2015.

The council, along with Butler's friends, held a spaghetti dinner to cover her medical expenses, and more than 100 people attended. 

Butler said she finally removed the remainder of her items that were still at the hall earlier this year. 

"As I walked around the building, so many fond memories came to mind," she said. "The countless weddings, baptisms, graduation and birthday parties and the endless charitable events that the Knights held throughout the years, but mostly, all of the families and staff that I had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with."

"I watched those men give much of their time and talent because they loved serving God and their community. They were and are some of the most honorable men that I have known in my life. I don't know if there will ever be a place like O'Kelley Banquet Hall in my lifetime. I tearfully bid it farewell." 

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