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LIVONIA, Mich. -- The restaurant business has gone down the tubes once again. First, it was Steak and Ale, then UNO Chicago Grill and now Bakers Square is the latest restaurant to close its doors in Livonia, Mich. This restaurant featured award-winning pies, breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees. The closure came as a surprise to both employees and customers. The former Livonia Mall complex has lost another tenant, which came as an unexpected surprise to city officials.

Both restaurants closed on the same day -- January 21. Locations affected are 29622 Seven Mile Road in Livonia and 13602 E. 14 Mile Road in Warren. A restaurant employee, who asked not to be identified, said the company had pulled out of Michigan.

"While the closing of the Bakers Square Restaurant is certainly unfortunate, the city is confident that this parcel offers a unique and valuable redevelopment opportunity that will complement the redevelopment of the entire mall site," said Mark Taormina, Livonia Planning Director.

The Livonia location opened on February 16, 1993. The restaurant, which includes 5,700 square feet of space, will now sit empty. The city was planning to revitalize the former Livonia Mall complex and turn it into an outdoor shopping center known as Livonia Marketplace. It would look similar to the city's newly-opened Wonderland Village shopping district. The Bakers Square restaurant was to be a part of that plan. Now, the city and developers will have to find a new tenant or go back to the drawing boards.

Workers were seen erasing the company's logo from the windows. They carried items from inside the restaurant and placed them in a semi-truck or a dumpster located in the back.

Customers kept showing up at the location looking forward to a fresh slice of pie. Instead, they saw a note on the door which read: "We've enjoyed serving you over the years. We have closed our doors for the last time January 21, 2009. Thank you for your business."

Bakers Square offered free slices of pie on Wednesdays with any purchase. It so happened the restaurant served its last meals on a Wednesday.

The restaurant chain began as "Mrs. C's" in Des Moines, Iowa in 1969. It was renamed several times until it became Bakers Square when VICORP purchased the chain in 1983. VICORP files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on April 3, 2008. VICORP closed 56 restaurants shortly after. Locations in Michigan, California and Wisconsin have closed recently.

Representatives from VICORP did not return my calls today.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

This note was posted on the front door of the restaurant.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Many customers were surprised about the restaurant's closure.

 

PHOTO BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

A side view of the closed restaurant in Livonia, Mich.