After 32 years, the owners of Banfield’s Bar Grill want to sell the business and property on Packard Road.
Will Banfield said the decision to list the restaurant and the buildings at 3140 and 3148 Packard Road for sale is financial. He said business dipped after Michigan’s smoke-free air law took effect in 2010, and the properties recently went into foreclosure.
“Business went down after the smoking ban went into effect. We had a lot of smokers — probably half of (our customers),” Banfield said.
He added: “It’s time to do something else.”
Banfield owns both 3140 and 3148 Packard Road. The restaurant occupies the building at 3140 Packard and half of the adjacent building, which is also occupied by City Pizza Subs.
The two buildings and the Banfield’s Bar Grill business are listed for sale with Swisher Commercial’s David Hamilton and Charlie Koenn for $800,000.
“I think there’s some potential for somebody else to come in with something that would suit the local neighborhoods there,” Koenn said.
“(The list price) includes all the equipment, the business and licenses,” he added.
Banfield’s seats 165 and has a banquet room in the lower level. The building at 3148 Packard could be sold separately for $200,000, according to the real estate listing.
Banfield said he works at the restaurant seven days a week and is unsure what he would do if the restaurant were to sell.
Banfield’s brother, Tom, sold Banfield’s Westside Grill Tavern at 5510 Jackson Road in 2012 to Rick and Ben Buhr.
“I’ll do something else. I feel pretty good. I’m only 65,” Banfield said. “My brother sold his place a couple years ago. We might get back into (the restaurant business). We don’t know.”
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Reach her at 734-255-2638, email her lizzyalfs@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter.