“I’m just ready to pass the torch on to somebody a little bit younger.”
Matt Urbane has been the owner of Fat Boy for almost 15 years. The north Grand Rapids restaurant has been in operation off and on since 1952, serving burgers and fries to generations of hungry customers. Urbane was the fifth owner and says the diner has remained popular over the years because of its timelessness.
“Lot of memories here growing up. Grandma and grandpas took their grandkids here and personally, my dad brought me here. Yeah, it’s just the nostalgic point.”
Urbane, who is now 62, says he’s looking forward to spending more time with his family and traveling during his retirement. He also says that, while he’ll miss the customers, what he’ll miss most is working with the youth through Kent Intermediate School District’s Empower U program, where they work at the restaurant for a few hours every weekday.
“I’m definitely going to miss those kids’ smiling faces coming in here learning how to work out in the community.”
Fat Boy will remain open until a buyer is found. Urbane says, in a perfect world, the restaurant would go on as it always has, building on its Grand Rapids legacy.
“Somebody a little bit younger would come in and take over what we started and give it the love that we gave it and bring it to that next level.”
