Ponderosa closes doors without warning

CALEDONIA TWP. — Longtime business Ponderosa Steakhouse, 1441 E. Main St., closed apparently “permanently” at the end of business hours Friday night.

No reason was announced. A sign in the front door Saturday only stated the business was closed.

The business was managed by Inspired Concepts, based in Mt. Pleasant. Corporate documents list Jeff Neely as the founder of Inspired Concepts. No one at the corporate office answered the phone Saturday.

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The Ponderosa Steakhouse/Bonanza Steakhouse website lists 10 Ponderosa locations in Michigan. Locations include Bay City, Cadillac, Clare, Coldwater, Dearborn Heights, Gaylord, Ludington, Mt. Pleasant, Owosso (Caledonia Township) and West Branch.

An individual who answered the phone at the company’s California office said to call back Monday.

WTVB, a radio station based in Coldwater, said on its website today that the Coldwater Ponderosa abruptly closed Friday night and left a sign on the front door similar to that posted at the local business.

According to a Facebook post by Drew Hine, who identified himself as an assistant manager, the restaurant’s parent company closed five Ponderosa restaurants. The additional closures could not be verified Saturday.