Big Boy.jpg

The Big Boy at 497 N. Zeeb Rd. in Scio Township closed suddenly this week. The property owner says another restaurant will open in the space.

(Matt Durr | The Ann Arbor News)

SCIO TWP -- The Big Boy restaurant on North Zeeb Road in Scio Township is closed for business and will be repurposed as a different restaurant according to the property owner.

Workers were removing pieces of Big Boy decor Thursday morning, including the iconic Big Boy statue as the doors were closed earlier this week.

According to township records, the 2.3-acre property where the restaurant is located is owned by Jerry Helmer. While Helmer was unable to comment on what will be replacing the Big Boy, he said there will be a new restaurant occupying the space.

A timeline for when the new restaurant will be announced was not available, but Helmer said he expects to announce something soon.

The Big Boy was built in 2007 and went through an ownership change in 2011. Attempts to reach the franchisee running the restaurant were unsuccessful.

The company ran the restaurant for a period in 2009 as the original owner of the franchise lost control of the business due to legal battles with Big Boy for unpaid royalties.

The 5,300 -square-foot restaurant is located just off of the Zeeb Road exit on I-94.

Matt Durr is a business reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at mattdurr@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter.