ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Grange Kitchen & Bar on West Liberty Street has closed permanently after 12 years.
Owner Brandon Johns said he was sad and bummed about the closing in a statement posted to the restaurant’s Facebook page.
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“Grange opened during a global recession, and it seems fitting that we close during a global pandemic,” Johns said.
Grange opened in 2009 with an emphasis on locally-grown, sustainably sourced foods and seasonal menus. The downtown eatery was known for its farm-to-table dining, service and community impact.
Johns said that although he will be less stressed, he will miss the noise and chaos of the restaurant, the people he’d met through the eatery and his “quirky/strange Grange staff/family.”
“Grange wasn’t an easy restaurant to run. We made things difficult. Constant trips to the market. So much whole animal butchery. Ever changing ingredients. Grange wasn’t the best restaurant ever, but we did live up to our goal to serve truly local food grown and raised by people we knew. I’m proud of that,” he said.
Community members voiced their condolences on the social media post, complimented the eatery and shared memories of their experiences at Grange.
In his statement, Johns invited the community to say “hi” when they see him at the Ann Arbor Distilling Company, where he currently works “making the booze, learning new skills and making myself more valuable in the zombie apocalypse.”
Read the full statement below: