Essexville Big Boy closing after almost 40 years, new restaurant moving in

ESSEXVILLE, Mich. (WNEM) – The Big Boy in Essexville has closed permanently as one of the owners announces a new restaurant will take its place.

The restaurant, located at 3111 Center Ave., posted on its Facebook page that Wednesday, Sept. 28 was its last day.

In a press release sent to TV5, Big Boy franchisee David Hunt II said the property is being sold to the Beef-a-Roo restaurant chain.

According to David, Beef-a-Roo plans to remodel the restaurant and hire interested Big Boy employees.

David said his family has owned the Essexville location for more than a decade, so the sale is bittersweet.

“The last 18 years in Essexville have been a blessing for our family,” David said in a press release. “We have had tremendous support over the years from a loyal customer base and some of the best staff members in the restaurant business. The people are what make this business exciting and rewarding. It’s a very bittersweet time, but also a time of opportunity for the current staff, community, and the Bay County area as a whole.”

The press release added that the Big Boy Restaurant Group plans to remodel and re-open the location on Euclid Avenue in Bay City.

Managing Partner of the Essexville Big Boy Patrick Hunt said that will present additional opportunities for current employees.

“In addition to employment opportunities with Beef-a-Roo, Big Boy will interview current staff members for their Midland location in anticipation of the Euclid Ave. reopening,” Patrick said in the press release. “It is critically important to our family that the folks who have made the Essexville Big Boy a success over the years have employment.”

The press release notes Big Boy gift cards that were purchased at the Essexville Big Boy are redeemable at any Big Boy location.