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TenPoundHammer

By TenPoundHammer
in Grand Rapids

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TenPoundHammer Whistle-Stop

TenPoundHammer

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Here's a compendium I made of all the closed up chain restaurants in the GR area. If you know of any more, or if you know the status of any location, feel free to add. I compiled these by checking old phone book listings mostly.

A & W

Eastbrook Mall (Hot Dogs & More)

5135 Broadmoor SE

3323 28th St. SE - later a Schlotzky's; now empty?

Arby's

166 Monroe Ctr. NW - now Subway

900 28th St. SE - now Ambos restaurant?

Baskin-Robbins

2419 Eastern SE - now Real Food Cafe

1508 Wealthy SE

1334 Lake Dr. SE

945 28th St. SW

Burger King

2201 44th SE

145 Michigan NE

5707 28th SE

Cracker Barrel

Alpine Ave. NW @ I-96 (can't believe a Cracker Barrel would close!)

Big Boy

2030 28th St. SE - now China Seafood Buffet

1014 Michigan NE

3800 Plainfield NE

Woodland Mall

Kentwood Village Mall

Ground Round

825 28th St. SE

Hardee's

850 28th St. SE - now Arby's

Planfield Ave. NE

3860 S. Division

Howard Johnson's

28th St. @ US-131 - now Casey Stengel's

28th St. @ I-96

IHOP

1292 28th St. SW - now Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins

KFC

2135 Plainfield NE

2550 28th SE

3410 S. Division - I did see some sort of used car lot on S. Division in a former KFC painted brown; I believe it was between 28th and 36th. Was this it? (Keep in mind this was 1999 when my dad lived in Kentwood.)

Little Caesar's

1305 E. Fulton

4305 Kalamazoo

3854 28th St. SE

6465 28th St. SE

1802 28th St. SW

McDonald's

North Kent Mall

City Centre

Eastbrook Mall (McDonald's Express)

1059 Wealthy St. SE - now Jamaican Dave's

Orange Julius

North Kent Mall

Pizza Hut

1640 444th St. SE

1141 Leonard NW

333 Michigan NE

Ponderosa

3870 Plainfield NE

2520 28th SE

2570 Alpine

Sbarro's

Woodland Mall - had a different location in the mall before the food court opened in the late 1990s or so

North Kent Mall

4268 Plainfield NE - was this the same as the North Kent Mall location?

Schlotzsky's

3323 28th St. SE

4005 Plainfield NE

509 44th St. SE

454 68th St. SW

1885 28th St. SW - now Bad Guys Pizza

Subway

1 Monroe Center NW

2055 28th St. SE - Now Garden Room

1515 Wealthy SE - Now Wealthy St. Grill

TCBY

4029 Plainfield NE - now Blimpie

6520 28th SE

1621 Leonard NE - now Admiral Discount Tobacco

3730 28th SE

Wendy's

1280 Breton - was this inside a Meijer gas station?

City Center

4721 28th St. SE

Haven't found any former Taco Bells yet, for the record.

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TenPoundHammer Whistle-Stop

TenPoundHammer

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Nearly positive Ponderosa is still open on Alpine and on 28th St. SW (Wyoming location near Studio 28).

Ponderosa's website lists 2608 Alpine NW and 1742 W. 28th. My first guess would be that those locations are ex-Bonanzas that Ponderosa moved into, as they did that a lot.

For the record, there used to be a Bonanza on M-139 in Benton Harbor; it closed about 15-20 years ago when the Bonanza in nearby Orchards Mall closed. Ponderosa moved into the old Bonanza, only to close sometime around 1995. Both locations are still empty.

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Allison Slater Town

Allison Slater

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I think there's a few more Little Caesar's that can be added to that list, I'll have to ask around to get some info though. I don't remember where the first Brehm-owned LC was, but I know it was closed up a long time ago.

There's also a rumour that the LC at 54th & Division might move to a strip mall being built across the street. The store is old and is failing corporate inspections simply due to the fact that it has not yet been remodeled to the new design.

I also remember there used to be a resturaunt called Rax. I know nothing about it, other than I used to love the place as a kid and that they had burgers. Only thing I remember.

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MJLO City

MJLO

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there are a few of these restaurants that didn't close, so much as relocate a couple of blocks away, I'd say it'd be a little bit inflated to say they closed, when really all they have done is upgrade facilities.

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Veloise City

Veloise

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Here's a compendium I made of all the closed up chain restaurants in the GR area. If you know of any more, or if you know the status of any location, feel free to add. I compiled these by checking old phone book listings mostly.

A & W

Eastbrook Mall (Hot Dogs & More)

5135 Broadmoor SE

3323 28th St. SE - later a Schlotzky's; now empty?...

Are you doing this as a public service, to prove a point about franchises or locally-owned restaurants, or what?

Was it a Blimpie's on Leonard with the health department issues? (Adjacent to China Gardens.) Big notice on the door stating that if you are even thinking about utilizing the space for food, the county would like you to have your act together.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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All the friggin Hot n' Nows, one on Division north of 54th was my place for burgers... em good. Oh and the Getem n' Go joint on Division south of 36th. I think that one was dead because of the county.

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civitas Burg

civitas

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What is your definition of "chain" and how far back are you going?

  • There were many Fables Restaurants that closed (small chain).

  • Burger Chef used to have a few locations in West Michigan.

  • Hot n' Now closed some stores.

  • Schelde's was a chain that closed stores.

  • Sambo's Resturants closed a number of stores.

  • Dog and Suds had a number of locations

  • Friendly's closed

  • Bill Knapp's

  • Kenny Roger's Roasters was in a strip on 28th for a while

  • Didn't the Tony Roma's in Grandville close?

  • Holly's Restaurants

Not chains, but anyone remember these?

  • Backroom Saloon

  • Penthouse (top of Pantlind Hotel)

  • Ottawa Grill

  • Zak's Dinner

  • Hong Kong Inn

  • Pearl Street Bar

  • Afternoon Delight

  • Granny's Kitchen

  • Kewpee Burger

  • Kum Back's

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Nitro Burg

Nitro

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What is your definition of "chain" and how far back are you going?
  • There were many Fables Restaurants that closed (small chain).

  • Hot n' Now closed some stores.

  • Kenny Roger's Roasters was in a strip on 28th for a while

  • Kewbee Burger

May Fable's rest in peace. One of my favorite restaurants.

Hot Fat Cow closed all of their stores except for two franchised stores not on this side of the state

I think all of the Get'em and Go's are now gone too.

Kenny Roger's Roasters used to be on the corner of Leonard and Fuller as well which became Donato's which closed and then became Adobe.

Never heard to Kewbee but I have heard of Kewpee which still has a store on Cedar St. in Lansing and others in the midwest.

What about Rax Roast Beef? My brother used to get the Uncle Alligator Meal when he went there.

I think all of the Damon's are closed now.

Let us not forget Spad's Pizza. Their breadsticks with the Itallian dressing were to die for.

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Nitro Burg

Nitro

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Nearly positive Ponderosa is still open on Alpine and on 28th St. SW (Wyoming location near Studio 28).

There were two Ponderosa's on 28th St. Mrs Nitro worked at the one that closed. It was in Harvey's lot and he wanted to expand his business so he didn't renew their lease. It was the highest grossing store on this side of the state.

Mrs. Nitro got transfered to the one on Alpine. When Plainfield closed (where I used to work), they transfered some people to Alpine as well. I chose not to work there but a lot of my friends did. So in the process of going to Alpine to see my buddies we met.

The rest is history..................... :wub:

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TenPoundHammer Whistle-Stop

TenPoundHammer

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To respond to several posts:

* I am just doing this for my own interest, as I maintain a list of every former chain restaurant in the state of Michigan; I'm also doing it for the interest of anyone else who wants to know

* Yes, I would count Burger Chef, Kewpee's, Spad's, DQ, Hot & Puke (as my dad called it), Fuddruckers, Kenny Rogers, Tony Roma's, Domino's, Papa John's, RAX, Damon's, Sambo's, Bill Knapp's, etc. etc., as well as anything that relocated without closing.

* Whoever said Fuddruckers is gone is wrong; last I checked they were alive and well. Unless you mean that they pulled out of Grarapids.

* If you know the current status of any location listed, please feel free to add.

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TenPoundHammer Whistle-Stop

TenPoundHammer

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OK, another data dump:

Burger Chef

1620 44th Ave. SE -- now the Kent County Health Department

somewhere 28th St. -- now either a KFC or a Burger King (as if THAT narrows it down)

3261 S. Division St. -- now the Wyoming Outlet Store

Plainfield Ave. near I-96 -- Razed, car wash on site (Was this the Plainfield Hardee's?)

Michigan at Fuller -- Razed, car wash on site

Dog & Suds

Caledonia

28th St. by Park Lanes bowling alley -- now 28th St. Grill

S. Division @ 44th (and/or 54th?) -- now a coney island

Michigan @ Fuller -- now Bill's

RAX

1119 Burton SE

620 44th SE -- now Arby's

5380 Northland

3000 28th St. SE -- now Arby's

1865 Baldwin, Jenison -- now McDonald's

2300 28th SW, Wyoming -- now Mr. Burger

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metrogrkid Hamlet

metrogrkid

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I just wish SONIC would quit torturing us with there ads and just get 5-10 of their darn spots open. My stomach growls every time they show one of their commercials. It's as if they're asleep at the wheel and don't know that SONIC would get over like a bandit here. I'll even provide them the ideal metro spots right now: 1) 28th & I-96 interchange in Cascade; 2) 28th & I-196 interchange in Grandville; 3) Celebration Village at Knapp's Corner; 4) the Paul Henry X-Way & U.S.-131 interchange; 5) the Paul Henry X-Way & Kalamazoo Avenue interchange; 6) Alpine & I-96 interchange; 7) RiverTown Parkway/44th Street & I-196 interchange; 8) Apple Avenue & U.S.-31 interchange; 9) U.S.-31 & The Lakes Mall interchange and 10) the U.S.-31 / Westshore Mall area. Can we get paid soon for thinking for eveyone? Sheeesh :blush:

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civitas Burg

civitas

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OK, another data dump:

Burger Chef

1620 44th Ave. SE -- now the Kent County Health Department

somewhere 28th St. -- now either a KFC or a Burger King (as if THAT narrows it down)

3261 S. Division St. -- now the Wyoming Outlet Store

Plainfield Ave. near I-96 -- Razed, car wash on site (Was this the Plainfield Hardee's?)

Michigan at Fuller -- Razed, car wash on site

Dog & Suds

Caledonia

28th St. by Park Lanes bowling alley -- now 28th St. Grill

S. Division @ 44th (and/or 54th?) -- now a coney island

Michigan @ Fuller -- now Bill's

RAX

1119 Burton SE

620 44th SE -- now Arby's

5380 Northland

3000 28th St. SE -- now Arby's

1865 Baldwin, Jenison -- now McDonald's

2300 28th SW, Wyoming -- now Mr. Burger

There was a Dog & Suds on Belding Road (N. side) just west of Bostwisk Lake in cannon Township.

I'm pretty sure the Burger Chef and Burger King were both open at the same time on 28th Street (west of Michael)

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