Five Guys Burgers and Fries plans early October opening on South State Street in Ann Arbor
Five Guys Burgers and Fries, the latest addition to Ann Arbor’s gourmet burger scene, is expected to open in early October. An exact date won't be announced until a few days before, said Five Guys Spokesperson Molly Catalano.
The Ann Arbor Five Guys will be located at 311 S. State St., in the space once occupied by long-time independent bookseller Shaman Drum.
The lease for the space was finalized in June.
Now renovation of the 1,900-square-feet of space in under way, said Ralph Welton, chief development official with the city of Ann Arbor. The permit for the $180,000 renovation project was issued July 21, although there must be inspections and a certificate of occupancy issued before they can open, he said.
The Ann Arbor Five Guys will join seven others in Michigan and 662 nationwide. Five Guys is also opening restaurants in West Bloomfield and Livonia and Taylor-based BAC Holdings LLC own and have rights to all Five Guys locations in Michigan, Catalano said.
As a national chain, Five Guys has been expanding rapidly, opening more than 300 stores in five years. It is privately held. It offers a simple menu: Burgers with more than a dozen toppings, fries, hot dogs and Coca-Cola.
Five Guys is the latest chain to arrive in Ann Arbor as the national burger craze continues: @ burger, owned by Big Boy Restaurants, opened at 505 E. Liberty earlier this summer and the area’s second Red Robin Gourmet Burger opened near Briarwood in the spring. Other chains are reportedly looking for space.
Comments
applehazar
Fri, Nov 5, 2010 : 2:51 p.m.
Is five guys ever going to be open in ann arbor or did they not get a restaurant permit?
Alex
Wed, Oct 20, 2010 : 3:41 p.m.
Does anyone know or have any further updates on our soon-to-be Five Guys' opening date? I'd love to know!
Bob Bethune
Sun, Sep 12, 2010 : 8:03 a.m.
Once upon a time there was a really great bookstore at 311 South State. Now there's going to be a burger joint. Hip, hip, hurray. Cue the marching band.
EDM450
Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 5:02 a.m.
The real problem is on Yahoo consumer reports just put out the listings of the top burger joints in America by taste. 5 Guys burgers came in second nation wide. Now that's pretty darn good. But then I looked farther down and saw the White Castle had beaten out, Wendy's,Burger King,and McDonalds. Ahhhhhh What????
Milton Shift
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 2:26 p.m.
"The REAL problem is people just like to complain about thiungs and don't realise a chain place is still run by a local person, hires local people, who spend their money around here. The whole rabble rabble about "local" stuff is so old and weak." The hires will all be for poverty wages, likely without any benefits whatsoever, so the money spent locally will be minimal. Extraction of wealth from broad geographical regions is the business model of franchises. It's the only way they can turn a profit. Franchising fees!
Lokalisierung
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 1:11 p.m.
"I see a lot of complaints about the "chains" moving in and "locally owned businesses" moving out. Part of the problem is the ridiculous rent charged;" The REAL problem is people just like to complain about thiungs and don't realise a chain place is still run by a local person, hires local people, who spend their money around here. The whole rabble rabble about "local" stuff is so old and weak.
michiganexpats.com
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 12:40 p.m.
Five Guys has really tasty, albiet not that healthy, food. I'm glad to see them come to Ann Arbor.
xmo
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 11:25 a.m.
I am glad they have someone willing to risk their money to open a business in Downtown Ann Arbor. I hope I can find a place to park near it!
cinnabar7071
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 10:56 a.m.
I may give them a try, but when I want a burger Crazy Jims is where it at.
RUKiddingMe
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 10:12 a.m.
I see a lot of complaints about the "chains" moving in and "locally owned businesses" moving out. Part of the problem is the ridiculous rent charged; I've seen a lot of places leave their locations in downtown Ann Arbor because of the rent. Ann Arbor (or at least the places that own these locations) thinks it's New York City. The big places have the busines model, size, and buying power to make a location profitable even if the rent's insane. Local places don't. In my opinion, it would be nice if some of these chains didn't move in regardless of whether or not it could be viable, just because the rent is so ridiculous. Let them stay vacant and abandoned until people get a little more realistic about what a "booming cultural center" Ann Arbor is and how much they can charge for street space. I love Ann Arbor, but it seems to think a little much of itself. And by the way, a lot of the locally owned places have the same kind of kitsch as the place two doors down, and a lot of that kitsch is the same stuff you see at the airport in many, many cities. We've got some nice original artistic stuff around town, but a self contained cultural center we ain't.
Milton Shift
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 9:51 a.m.
The globalization and consolidation of capital continues...
berda
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 9:43 a.m.
good luck i hope the prices are not high i will check them out when they open
ezbngreen
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 9:05 a.m.
Looking forward to doing business. This burger place is awesome!
alabamason
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 8:20 a.m.
Great, another burger place in town, that's all we need. WE've got @Burger (which is Big Boy run) and it is awful - you never see more than 5 people in there. Now we've got Five Guys coming in and their meat quality is notoriously worse than any place in town. What happened to the time when State St. was all locally owned businesses??? Now we've got CVS, 7-11, 5 Guys and all these other national chains coming in. Support local - if you're looking for a the best burger in town go to Sava's (only uses Knight's beef) or Casey's... Something a little different, go to Blimpy.
EDM450
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 7:05 a.m.
Oh Da Joy dare Bob! Anoder one of dose Hamburger joints where a real Mid-Westerner kinda guy can goo out and have good oldt time Double Bacon, Triple Cheese, 1/2 pound slab of USDA Ground Beef, cooked da way I want it ta be. Still Mooing when it comes too da table! But no Mayo please I'm trying to loose weight.
Hmm
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 7:02 a.m.
Can't wait for this, Five Guys is awesome!
David
Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 5:48 a.m.
Did you leave out the word "State" in the title?