“I’m no spring chicken,” said Mike Muftari, owner of Mike’s Famous Ham Place on Michigan Avenue, who said he is selling the business so he can retire.

In his late 70s, and with property values rising with Michigan Central and Corktown developments, Muftari said it’s time to sell. He said he’d like for it to remain a ham shop but knows he can’t control the future of the restaurant.

James Scott grew up one street over from Mike’s Famous Ham Place.[…]Scott said he’s been going to the shop for 60 years throughout both owners, since the age of 4.[…] “I couldn’t even see over the counter. But my dad used to bring me here and buy the sandwiches – I used to think they were the biggest sandwiches I’d ever seen in my life,” he said.[…] “They got the best ham in Detroit, and have always had it. There’s a lot of ham places in Detroit, nobody can touch these guys,” Scott said.

Muftari said he doesn’t have a date yet for the last service.[…] “I’m happy, I’m healthy, when the time comes – time to retire,” Muftari said. “Thank you for supporting us all these years.”