End Of An Era: Brann’s Steakhouse Closing After 60 Years

For over 60 years, Brann’s Steakhouse and Grille at 401 Leonard St. NW, has been a westside leading restaurant. Brann's was the place to go for their famous sizzler steak, burgers, pizza, happy hour, basically a place to relax, have a drink with friends and family, and a good meal. All of that comes to an end tonight!

Brann's on Leonard will close tonight at 10 p.m. Pretty sad, right?

Not exactly!

Johnny Brann Jr., Johnny Brann Sr., and his wife Sandy just announced that they are shutting down the restaurant to make way for a new mixed-use redevelopment which will include a new Brann's restaurant.

Fox17 reported that Brann Jr. said this is a bold move to continue the re-birth and growth of the West Side.

“What lies ahead is an opportunity to not just preserve, but to continue building upon our family legacy, ensuring that the Westside of Grand Rapids remains a place where our community can come together and create lasting memories."

Brann's is not just redeveloping the restaurant. They are boldly going where no man has gone before by developing a new mixed-use housing development with up to 102 apartments, retail space and the new 4,000-square-foot Brann's restaurant. The entire project is expected to cost between $25 to $45 million dollars.

Brann's Steakhouse restaurants goes way back. Their website says that In 1960 John Brann Sr. opened the first John Brann’s Steakhouse in Grand Rapids in the heart of the West Side, where Michigan’s Original Sizzle got its start! John Sr. wanted to make sure that families could go out to eat and get a great meal at a great price. Grand Rapids literally ate this concept up! John Brann’s Steakhouse was selling an average of 800 Sizzling Steak Dinners on Saturday nights!

Now Brann's owns 8-locations across Michigan.