The Jimmy John’s location on Grand River Avenue has closed its doors this week for renovations and remodeling.
The store serves as a culinary focal point for many MSU students. With the store temporarily out of commission, some lunchtime plans have been interrupted.
“I go to Jimmy John’s once or twice every two weeks,” finance junior Inwoo Hwang said. “This is the closest Jimmy John’s there is (to campus), so (my friends and I) come here a lot during the weekends. It’s a nice place to stop by to get something to eat really quickly.”
While the current lack of subs on demand may be troubling for some students, the shop will be returning with a modern facelift.
"This is one of the first Jimmy John’s stores built so we are updating it with a fresh new look. We are remodeling it with new equipment, floors and a redesigned layout to improve customer flow," Jimmy John's spokeswoman Jessica Lutchen said.
To customers, the changes will be mostly cosmetic. Project blueprints show the customer area will mostly stay the same, but the non-structural components, such as floor and wall tiles, light fixtures, countertops and decor will be updated.
Less noticeable will be the renovations that will also improve infrastructure, added thermal and moisture protection to the structure, new plumbing and communications improvements.
Unlike the recent renovations at Buffalo Wild Wings and the Marriott restaurant, Bistro 43, the Jimmy John’s renovations did not require city council approval.
“The renovations to Jimmy John’s would not have required a site plan review, because they are not changing the use and they do not have a special use permit,” Community and Economic Development Administrator Lori Mullins said.
Mullins said the business only needed a building permit from the city to begin construction.
Corporate Jimmy John's officials said the renovations will take about a month, with the restaurant reopening in late July.
