Canton Five Guys Hosts Grand Opening

The new Canton opened to much fanfare Monday, bringing to town their menu full of award-winning build-your-own burgers.

“After you’ve done ten of these it gets pretty easy,” said co-franchisee Mike Abrams, of the smooth process over the past week of getting all of the licenses in order, having the new employees trained and finalizing all the smaller details. “It’s a very good franchise. They have a great infrastructure.”

Along with his partner, Brian Adelman, Abrams has now successfully launched his tenth Michigan Five Guys store, and says that they plan to open a new one every two months for the rest of the year. Their next opening is in Woodhaven.

The restaurant was christened by four employees who dropped in for lunch just after the doors were unlocked.

“We always enjoy being the first ones,” said Chad Steward, who lives in Belleville. “Especially when it’s Five Guys.”

Accompanying Stewart were fellow IKEA employees Mike Rinz of Walled Lake, Plymouth resident Rich Furmanek and John Theisen of Detroit.

“We tried to get more people to come with us,” Stewart said. “Because we knew it was the grand opening.”

Business was initially slow, but as lunch approached it began to pick up, said Adelman.

Around 4 p.m., most of the tables had filled and the restaurant was abuzz with chattering customers, the sizzle of the grill tops and the clinking of spatulas furiously flipping the hand-made burgers.

“They’re fabulous,” said Oliva Denscedt, who was with her sister, Chrissie (who is the director of in Canton) and John Palmer, a friend from Buffalo, NY.

It was Palmer’s first time visiting a Five Guys. “I had a grilled cheese,” he said. “I really liked it.” Chrissie said they were all planning on coming back on Wednesday.

Adelman said that he expected the restaurant to really hit its stride tonight, as kids were let out of school and their parents got off work. But, he said, being the beginning of the week, and because it was their grand opening, he expected business to be best by the weekend. “I think the busiest days this week will be Friday night, Saturday and Sunday,” he said.

Five Guys is known for their simple menu of burgers and fries, handmade each morning. “We don’t have freezers,” said Abrams. “We hand make the burgers and slice the potatoes every morning, and the buns are always the freshest.”

Abrams also owns four Snookers Pool and Pub locations throughout metro Detroit, as well as Mr. Joe’s Food and Spirits and McVee’s Bar & Grill in Southfield. Aside from their Five Guys franchises, he and Adelman -- who have been friends since they were teenagers --  also own Lu and Carl’s and Stout Irish Pub in Birmingham. “Anyone can make a burger,” Abrams said. “We just happen to do it the best.”