We used to call them Woo Girl Shuttles. Their arrival in spring meant snarled traffic downtown, unexpected hordes of pink-clad, sash-sporting bachelorettes trailing glitter and giggles as they poured from their pedal pubs into the downtown bars I worked at and frequented. We suspender-wearing “mixologists” scorned these groups of laughing partygoers for ordering the wrong kind of shots and acting silly. I’d never be caught dead on one of these, I thought.
I was wrong. And probably more than a little sexist — there are plenty of Yoooo Bros pedaling around out there, too. It took 10 years, a work outing, and a lovely summer morning to change my mind.
Before I went, I talked to Nick Blaszczyk, who co-founded Detroit Rolling Pub with his wife, Jody, in 2016, followed by Detroit Cycle Boat and Aloha Tiki Tours, which offer similar experiences on the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair. Nick is a Wayne State University alum and Jody graduated from Michigan State University, so they were in the right place at the right time to ride the wave of Detroit developments. Back then, Nick says, “a lot of people would come to a sporting event and then go home. We thought, ‘We can get these people to stay, check out new restaurants, new bars, … see the city, get an understanding of what’s really happening, and give them a different perspective.”
So, I hopped on a Detroit Rolling Pub, along with some Hour Detroit staffers, just before noon on a Friday. Immediately, even before our guide, Reid Brower, handed over DJ duties to the most willing guest, a few things became apparent.
First, any time there are two or more rolling pubs in one party, the Party People will choose the first and most brightly colored vehicle. In our case, that was the hot-pink number, but Brower says that when it’s available, the pub decked out in tropical grasses and flowers is usually the most popular. That’s where the “woo” count really ramps up. It seems to be a primal, instinctive response, and on our trip, the Party People in the front pub outnumbered my group by seven “woos” to two by my count.
Second, stay hydrated. Our self-designated activities director introduced us to a few different drinking games, but no one cared what we were chugging in between sips of water. Me? French 75s made with a mini shaker and plastic cups to share. Others? High Noon, Bell’s Oberon, and plenty of water.
Some of the most popular rolling pub songs Brower hears are classics like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” — anything that folks can sing along to. He says some of loudest groups are, not surprisingly, bachelor/bachelorette parties but also notes the most raucous groups are usually family reunions, because everyone knows one another.
The final lesson I learned from our wise guide was this: “Use the bathroom every time we stop. And don’t be afraid to have fun, get loud, sing, and shout.”
There’s no denying the unabashed fun of cruising down Washington Boulevard with a group of friends while pretending to pedal, waving to pedestrians, and pointing out spots we want to visit. As we rolled back to our departure point, I heard a small, involuntary, but powerful whoop emerge from my lungs.
All hail the rolling pub.
This story originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Click here to get our digital edition.
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