Squares Restaurant space in downtown Ann Arbor is put up for lease
Squares Restaurant, located at 241 East Liberty Street, has a sign in the window announcing that the space is available for lease.
The restaurant closed in June for what it described as “summer vacation,” but the landlord's decision to pursue new tenants for the space suggests that Squares is likely closed for good.
The restaurant's former website, squaresrestaurant.com, is also gone. A call placed to Squares today was not answered.
The 2,800-square-foot space is listed with Bluestone Realty Advisors. The building is owned by the Oxford Companies, with other tenants including Afternoon Delight, Antelope Antiques & Coins and Bella Rosie.
Previous tenants in the restaurant space include Yoshi's and Dinersty.
Squares opened in December 2010 on the block between South Fourth Avenue and South Fifth Avenue in the Liberty Plaza building. The restaurant served sandwiches on square flatbread, and also offered items like omelets and salads.
At the time of opening, Scott Nail, director of operations for Squares Restaurant, said that the restaurant would likely open a second location in Canton. That never happened.
Along with Squares closing, there have been several changes on East Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor recently.
A new business, Bongs & Thongs, is set to open at 119 E. Liberty Street in July.
Big Boy's @burger at 505 E. Liberty St. also closed in June, placing the 3,185-square-foot space on the leasing market.
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
thefoodandwinehedonist
Mon, Jul 18, 2011 : 2:26 a.m.
Darn, I was really looking forward to ripping on them in my blog. Same with @burger. Both places seemed a little too slick for their own good in a town like A2. For better or worse, this town likes it's mom and pop type places. Unfortunately, it seems like the only mom and pop places opening up these days are Korean and Indian... Doesn't anyone have French or Italian parents?
Masta Fish
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 4:25 a.m.
Have to say- not sad to see them go. They made all their employees remove their piercings...while right next door to the piercing shop. Needless to say, when people asked what we thought about the business, we told them.They should have reached out to the local community for support rather than alienating the neighbors.
bunnyabbot
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 1:04 a.m.
The price was ok if you had a coupon, which they had many of, without a coupon it was expensive. However I am not surprised the weren't doing well, they always had TOO many employees working yet were slow in filling an order, it was as if they were running into each other and none of their movements were in sync. Sometimes they would be standing around, doing nothing! I agree with Carl about the sauce. I asked for a different sauce on a particular sandwich and they always put the regular sauce on, and way too much of it, their sandwhiches were a mess to eat, unless you asked for NO sauce. I also asked what was in a sauce and the manager wasn't able to tell me. There loaded bacon potato soup was more like eating a bowl of really thick cream, very little potato or bacon. Then their cookies were huge and less than $2. (made no sense) The childrens menu had offers on it that you couldn't get in an adult size, "they didn't have a button for it". also tried a salad and was disappointed by it. Didn't look anything like the picture, that is half the ingrediants were missing! adding grilled chicken to a salad cost $2 extra but was four pieces of chicken, the equivalent to 1/4 a breast (I mean even NYPD and Pizza House gives you a WHOLE chicken breast when you add it to a salad and for not much more than $2 and when you order an $8 salad at NYPD it is HUGE and comes with garlic knots (their Michigan Salad is my favorite, yum) also their fountain pops were smaller and more expensive than getting one at afternoon delight.
Carl
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 10:13 p.m.
I think if you had a coupon Squares was a good deal at times, and they did offer alot of coupons. I think the serving sizes were very good and it was nice how they always gave free fruit and they would offer water etc. I ate there about 5 times and then just got very sick of the same sauce on everything. I do think the squares concept was very silly.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 8:36 p.m.
Last time I went there, some couple in middle age couple front of me had a buy one get one free coupon and the emplyee was so nice, taking 15 minutes to answer their every question, offering them napkins, a cup for water, ect... Then I get up there wearing a led zeplin shirt, ripped jeans, and a sneakers, spend $25 on lunch for 2 and the lady was rude and stand-offish. I really got the impression that they thought the customers in front of me deserved respect because they were an older cuople, and for some reason I didn't. Anyhow, I never went back, and I'm no way suprised that they went out of business.
John B.
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 9:40 p.m.
I bet there is another version of that story....
David Paris
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 7:30 p.m.
Long Live Afternoon Delight, and may the next occupant at 241 E. Liberty be a local non-franchise business. Actually, Afternoon Delight could probably benefit from adding 241 to their seating space!
mr_annarbor
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 7:18 p.m.
Me three on Dinersty! I would have been happy to pay a little more, if they'd maintained the place better. Too bad about Squares. I always hate to see business go under.
applehazar
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 7:12 p.m.
Not surprising - for restarurants ot succeed they have to have good food at reasonable prices. Squares failed on both accounts. The 2 times I tried them left me thinking they were a commissary in the military - THAT BAD - and the portions were so small that even small plates looked empty.
Liz
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 7:02 p.m.
Ditto on Dinersty ... I used to go there for $2 huge bowls of wonton soup during the winter. Yum.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 5:48 p.m.
I heard some place named "rounds" was thinking about going in. Their business plan was to only serve round food and charge about 30% more for that little bit of coolness.
bunnyabbot
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 1:05 a.m.
I bet zingermans would think they could!
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 7:55 p.m.
That might work. Everyone knows you can't put a square restaurant in a round hole.
Ariel
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 5:43 p.m.
It's not at all surprising that Squares closed. Their prices were way too high and there are so many cheaper/alternative options within a few blocks
Lola
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 5:38 p.m.
Bring back Dinersty! I loved that place.
Atticus F.
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 8:27 p.m.
Haven't you heard?...There have been some rumblings about the meat.
Kellie Carbone
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 5:01 p.m.
It always amazes me how quickly certain restaurants close. I am not in the food business, but it seems to me that you need to anticipate it taking 3-5 years to get established. Of course, there are exceptions, but if someone wants to open a restaurant and does not have the stomach (or the capital) to stick it out a while, then they are probably not cut out for it.
jns131
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 1:05 a.m.
From what I was told is this. At one year, you break even if you are lucky. After 2 years? You can make a profit. If you survive 3? You have a clientele base and those are the ones who are going to make you rich thru word of mouth if you do not screw it up. The Mongolian BBQ in downtown Ypsi died after 2. Why? Because they were pricey for lunch and even pricier for dinner. You have to have a strong need for whatever restaurant you are going to open in that area. Bombadilles had a strong need and a good clientele. Too bad the owner stunk at management and bad bookkeeping.
johnnya2
Thu, Jul 14, 2011 : 7:13 p.m.
The food business moves much faster than that. Three to five years is way too long to bleed money. You will know if you are on the right track in the first year. Big Boy has deep enough pockets to go with @burger longer than they did, but made a good business decision to cut their losses. Squares has done the same thing. Throwing good money away is never a good idea for a business. If a restaurant makes it for its 3rd anniversary it will usually be able to stick around for a while.