Zeeb Road Big Boy closes but will reopen under new operator

The Big Boy restaurant on Zeeb Road near I-94 in Scio Township has closed, but the property manager and Big Boy officials said it would reopen soon under corporate management.

Property manager Phil Conlin and Jennifer Bourgoin, vice president and general council Big Boy Franchise Management LLC, said the Big Boy corporation would take over operations of the restaurant. The previous operator and franchisee, Sam Berry, who also ran a Big Boy on Lohr Road in Pittsfield Township that recently closed, is embroiled in court battles with the restaurant company.

In court filings, Big Boy claims Berry owes more than $70,000 on the Zeeb restaurant.

The restaurant was built in 2007, and Conlin said Berry had been a good operator for much of that time.

"It was a high-volume store. They ran it well, the were good operators," he said, adding that he was "shocked" that unpaid rent had piled up to the point that eviction was necessary.

"It's an ugly situation," Conlin said.

In an interview last week, Bourgoin said Berry's franchise agreements were terminated for "nonpayment for royalty and advertising fees." She also said eviction proceedings had begun.

Conlin said an eviction notice was made official on Monday.

Berry recently opened a third restaurant, a Ram's Horn, in Ypsilanti Township.