After 30 years, The Common Grill in Chelsea to close in March

After 30 successful years in the Chelsea community, The Common Grill restaurant will be closing its doors on March 13, 2022.

“It is with many mixed emotions that we announce the closing of The Common Grill. After an incredible journey over 30 years, Donna and I have decided to retire and move on to the next phase of our lives. Therefore, the last day The Common Grill will be open for service is Sunday, March 13, 2022,” said owner and founder Craig Common.

“Since our beginning, we have always wanted to have a restaurant that provided a great experience, with quality food and service, on a consistent level. We hope that we have accomplished what we believed was our number one priority.”

For over 30 years The Common Grill has presented fresh, imaginative American dishes while providing outstanding service in downtown Chelsea. Proprietor and executive chef, Craig Common, began his career at 14 as a dishwasher in a Dearborn Heights, Michigan, restaurant. A self-taught chef, Craig worked for the C.A. Muer Corporation for 12 years, eventually overseeing 16 restaurants in Michigan, Ohio and Florida as a corporate Chef.

Over the past 30 years Chef Craig and his wife and long-time partner in the business, Donna, have been insightful, valuable and active members of the Chelsea business community. Craig was an initial founder of the Sounds & Sights on Thursday Nights and Sounds & Sights Festival and received the Chelsea Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2019 Large Business Leadership Award.

“We would like to thank all past and present employees for helping us in achieving that goal and believing in us all of these years. It would not have been possible without their dedication and commitment. We would also like to thank all of our guests who supported us over these past 30 years. It has been an honor and pleasure in trusting us to make your dining experiences enjoyable.”

In 1994, Craig accepted an invitation to prepare a dinner for the members and guests at the James Beard House in New York City. Craig has penned two popular cookbooks; The Common Grill Cookbook in 2001 and Return to the Common Grill in 2005. Both books feature some of the restaurant’s most beloved recipes.

In 2011, Craig was a semifinalist for a James Beard Award in the best chef of the great lakes category.