A mainstay in downtown Chelsea for 3 many years identified for its American fare and deftly ready seafood dishes, The Widespread Grill is completely closing. The restaurant will shut March 13.
Craig Widespread and his spouse, Donna, the homeowners and enterprise companions, introduced they’re retiring and “shifting on to the subsequent part of our lives,” in accordance with a information launch and Fb submit Sunday morning.
“Since our starting, we’ve got all the time wished to have a restaurant that supplied an incredible expertise, with high quality meals and repair, on a constant degree. We hope that we’ve got completed what we believed was our primary precedence,” the homeowners mentioned in an announcement.
Reached by telephone Sunday morning, Craig Widespread mentioned “It is time.”
“It has been an amazing journey and I’m simply prepared,” he mentioned.
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The enterprise and constructing, Widespread owns each, are up on the market. Widespread mentioned it is essential that he sells to a different restaurateur.
“We have been right here for 30 plus years,” Widespread mentioned. “It is essential that any person is available in and retains it a restaurant. It is very important for the downtown space. The Purple Rose (theater) and stuff. That’s my primary precedence.”
Situated about 60 miles west of Detroit, The Widespread Grill is understood not solely as a downtown Chelsea spot, however as a vacation spot. It is well worth the drive.
Craig Widespread, a self-taught chef, started is culinary profession as a dishwasher at a Dearborn Heights restaurant. He later labored for the C.A. Muer Corp., overseeing 16 eating places in Michigan, Ohio and Florida earlier than opening The Widespread Grill. In 2011, he was named a greatest chef Nice Lakes area semifinalist for a prestigious James Beard Award — thought of the Oscars within the culinary world.
Widespread authored two fashionable cookbooks: The Widespread Grill Cookbook (Sleeping Bear Press, $35) was launched in 2000 and went right into a second printing shortly after it got here out. Greater than 100,000 books have been bought, in accordance with Widespread.
The Return of the Widespread Grill (Huron River Press, $35) adopted in 2005. Each books showcased many recipes on the grill’s menu and leaned on his love of seafood.
Widespread, 67, knowledgeable his workers on Friday of the closing.
“It was extremely emotional,” he mentioned. “We have individuals which have been us since day one. It is household. However when you consider retiring you must decide a date. So I did.”
Plenty of those familiar with the restaurant expressed sadness about the closing and thanked the Commons for their support of the Chelsea community. the Facebook post has more than 360 comments and 945 shares as of noon Sunday.
While Common said the pandemic put a “blip” in business in 2020, it had nothing to do with the closure.
“It’s (the restaurant) at the height of its game right now,” he said. “We’ve been busy for the full year. It’s been great.”
Common said they plan on some traveling and relaxing and figuring out what’s next.
They plan to remain in Chelsea and live a mile from the restaurant.
“We love Chelsea and love where we are. I like to be engaged in the community,” Common said.
The Common Grill, 112 South Main Street, Chelsea, 734-475-0470. commongrill.com
Contact Detroit Free Press meals author Susan Selasky and ship meals and restaurant information to: sselasky@freepress.com. Observe @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.
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