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The Common Grill closing after 30 years of serving Washtenaw County

Restaurant to close March 13

Craig Common, owner and executive chef of The Common Grill in Chelsea, Michigan. (The Common Grill)

CHELSEA, Mich. – After a successful 30 year run The Common Grill will permanently close its doors on Sunday, March 13.

Owners Craig and Donna Common have announced that they will be retiring and “moving on to the next phase” of their lives.

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“Since our beginning, we have always wanted to have a restaurant that provided a great experience, with quality food and service, on a consistent level. We hope that we have accomplished what we believed was our number one priority,” the couple said in a release.

Started in 1991 by the husband and wife duo, The Common Grill in downtown Chelsea has served American dishes at its 112 S. Main St. location.

Having started out as a dishwasher at age 14, Craig Common has overseen 16 restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Florida. After publishing two books featuring recipes used at The Common Grill, one in 2001 and another in 2005, he was named as a semifinalist for a James Beard Award in 2011.

“We would like to thank all past and present employees for helping us in achieving that goal, and believing in us all of these years. It would not have been possible without their dedication and commitment. We would also like to thank all of our guests who supported us over these past 30 years. It has been an honor and pleasure in trusting us to make your dining experiences enjoyable,” the Commons said.

Fans have left more than 1,400 comments on the beloved eatery’s Facebook page thanking the owners and praising the restaurant in response to the news.

The Common Ground is open between 4-9 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 3-9 p.m. on Sundays.


About the Author
Sarah Parlette headshot

Sarah has worked for WDIV since June 2018. She covers community events, good eats and small businesses in Ann Arbor and has a Master's degree in Applied Linguistics from Grand Valley State University.

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