Bagger Dave's has departed the Colonnade center on Eisenhower Parkway. Ann Arbor was the second location for the chain, originally founded in Berkley (near Royal Oak). Bagger Dave's was created by a Buffalo Wild Wings franchisee interested in creating their own restaurant concept. They originally opened as "Bagger Dave's Legendary Burgers and Fries," which was a little bit Will Smith and a little bit Barney from HIMYM. They had good beers, good burgers with interesting toppings like basil, and perhaps most importantly, an enchanting electric train that continuously ambled around the perimeter of the restaurant, high above our heads. We got them for takeout fairly regularly when we lived nearby, too.
Shocked to learn that Bagger Dave's in Brighton has closed. That was my first job out of high school.
— Jacob W. Schenk (@JacobWSchenk) August 4, 2017
In recent years, they changed their burger recipe to a single, larger patty instead of double-stacking smaller ones, and ditched Coke to offer their own "craft-brewed" sodas alongside the craft beer. They made a bad mistake on my wife's burger last time we went, and the listless service on top of that was bad enough to skip it from then on.
They are survived locally by their neighbors Moe's, whose customers will miss borrowing their wifi, and Applebee's, who continue to do the beer and burger thing next door to the Colonnade.
I like Five Guys, but I like Bagger Dave's better; unfortunately ours, if not the chain, went out of business. https://t.co/tKIEQdHyM9
— Dadger @ IFC (@ItsBrimstone) August 4, 2017
The whole chain hasn't closed at this point. They're still numerous north of Detroit, and there are a few outliers in southern Ohio and Indiana.
[Closeup of Bagger Dave's closing announcement from store window. (C)A2R.S]
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