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Firehouse Subs and the neighboring Toppers Pizza both closed less than a year after opening on East William Street.

(Lizzy Alfs | The Ann Arbor News)

Firehouse Subs closed its doors Thursday, less than a year after the Florida-based sandwich chain opened in downtown Ann Arbor.

Equipment and furniture at the sub shop at 609 E. William St. was cleared out of the building as of Friday morning. A sign in the window from franchise owners Jessica and Doug Hammond reads:

A sign from Firehouse Subs franchisees Jessica and Doug Hammond thanks customers for their patronage.

“To our customers: We want to thank you for your support. It was a pleasure serving you and getting to know many of you. Will surely miss seeing you all on a daily basis. Go blue.”

Carly Kirkland, a spokeswoman for Firehouse Subs, said via email the franchise owners closed the restaurant to “pursue other interests.”

“We hope to return to the area, but do not have anything to report at this time,” she added.

Two brothers founded the Firehouse chain in 1994, and there are more than 700 locations, according to the company’s website. There are 12 locations in Michigan, including one in Brighton. The menu consists of hot and cold subs, salads and sides.

The Hammonds spent two years searching for real estate in Ann Arbor before they landed on the East William Street space, in a 6,500-square-foot building owned by Gus Boutsikakis. The Ann Arbor Firehouse Subs opened in March 2013.

The restaurant had a University of Michigan themed mural painted on the wall, and it raised money for the Ann Arbor fire department with a change jar, contractor bucket sales and by asking if customers would like to round their order to the nearest dollar.

Firehouse Subs' closure comes three months after the neighboring Toppers Pizza closed. The Wisconsin-based pizza delivery franchise lasted eight months at 607 E. William, in the former College Shoe Repair space.

“It was a franchise location of Toppers and that particular location wasn’t financially viable for that franchise operator of ours to remain open,” Chris Cheek, Toppers Pizza’s chief development officer, told The Ann Arbor News in October.

Michigan-based burrito restaurant chain Menna's Joint signed a lease in December to open in the former Toppers Pizza space. The corporately owned Ann Arbor restaurant will offer dine-in, take-out and delivery services.

Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Reach her at 734-623-2584, email her lizzyalfs@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter.