Work begins on new steakhouse

FORT GRATIOT – Construction crews are working at the site of a new Texas Roadhouse at 4220 24th Ave., Fort Gratiot Supervisor Jorja Baldwin said.

It will be the first steakhouse to locate in the township since Damon’s closed about a decade ago where Buffalo Wild Wings now sits, she said.

“It’s a chain, and Fort Gratiot seems to be the home to chains, but it’s nice to have something that’s a little different,” Baldwin said.

She said she was told the restaurant would open in time for the “shopping season,” but didn’t have additional information.

“We’re excited,” Baldwin said. “The jobs are good because we do have a population that that kind of job works well for. We have a community college, and those students need flexibility for evenings and weekends.”

Texas Roadhouse has a dozen new locations set to open by the end of the year, according to its website. While the Fort Gratiot site isn’t listed, locations as far as Kuwait and Anchorage, Alaska are.

The chain has nearly a dozen locations in Michigan already, including in Chesterfield Township and Roseville. There are more than 430 locations worldwide.

The restaurant is known for its “hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, made-from-scratch sides, and fresh-baked bread,” according to its website.

Baldwin said she did not know how many people would be hired or when the restaurant would open. Texas Roadhouse has 89 job openings listed in Michigan on its website, from bakers to server assistants.

Travis Doster, Texas Roadhouse spokesman, could not be reached for comment.

Contact Crystal Garcia at (810) 989-6276 or cagarcia@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @THCrystalGarcia.