Culver's restaurant celebrates grand opening on Jackson Road

Karen Richard, owner of the new Culver's on Jackson Road in Scio Township, said the restaurant — which specializes in burgers and frozen custard shakes — has been "unbelievably busy" since its soft opening on June 4.

She hosted a grand opening on Tuesday morning, and she estimated 75 to 80 people came out for the celebration.

"It's been going fantastic," Richard said. "Everybody says they're so happy there's a Culver's in Ann Arbor. A lot of people have been to Wisconsin, Minnesota, the store in Jackson; they're just fired up about having this restaurant here in town."

Richard, an Ann Arbor resident who also owns the Culver's in the Jackson area, purchased a portion of the Lowe’s outlot property in Scio Township in December for $700,000. Construction of the building, which includes a drive-through, was on schedule this spring, she said.

The only problem so far, Richard said, has been with people having difficulty locating the restaurant. Customers have to turn into the Lowe's entrance to park at Culver's.

"Scio Township will not allow another curb cut on Jackson Road," she said. "The sign out there is the Lowe's sign. We are working to put a sign out that will have Lowe's at the top and Culver's on it, and we'll also have our 'flavor of the day' out there."

Richard hired 75 mostly part-time employees to work at the restaurant, and she said they are mostly high school and college students from nearby schools.

The Culver’s menu includes the restaurant’s signature “ButterBurgers,” sandwiches, salads and frozen custard.

The first Culver’s restaurant opened in Wisconsin in 1984, and there are now more than 425 locations nationwide. The chain has 34 locations in Michigan.