Copyright M Live Michigan
GRAND BLANC, MI – A dietary conscious restaurant is set to open its first location in Genesee County. Focusing on breakfast and lunch, Anna’s House will open a new location in late summer 2026 in Grand Blanc, CEO Josh Beckett told MLive-The Flint Journal. Beckett became a regular at the snack bar at restaurant’s Anna’s Grand Rapids location in 2004 and later purchased the business from then-owner Becky Miller. “(She) wanted to sell it and it was just a little diner at that time,” he said. The Grand Blanc location will be the 14th in the state of Michigan. “We love Grand Blanc,” Beckett said. “My director of operations lives right in Grand Blanc. He’s not yet able to announce the spot that’ll be used to house the restaurant, but Beckett said, “it’s a super well-known building” that they’ve been looking at for three years and the owner has agreed to sell, estimating a total investment at $2.5 million. Beckett noted Shannon Walz, director of operations for Anna’s House, lives in the community “that just made it even more perfect.” “It’s a great, growing little downtown,” he said. “It’s in where we want to grow. We’re really focused the next five years to really focus our growth in and around the metro Detroit area, in all the suburbs.” One of the key facets for Beckett at Anna’s House is providing higher quality products, including chemical-free meats and organic items “when we can, but also keep the price reasonable,” he said. “I know it’s a big deal right now with price, so we haven’t actually raised our price in a long time,” Beckett said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to keep it a really affordable experience because the restaurants are trying to overcome that whole affordability thing.” For those who may not have visited an Anna’s House location, Beckett said they have the classic breakfast items on the menu, such as biscuits and gravy. “But then we also have unique, healthier items, you know, like our hippie hash. And we really focus on vegan, gluten free,” he said, adding they also offer fresh pressed juices as well. Beckett and his wife Erin are both now gluten-free. He also changed his dietary habits after being diagnosed with diabetes. “When we went gluten free like 15 years ago, no one did that,” he said. “It was like kind of a joke if you went out to eat and ask for something gluten free. But now it’s like 1 out of 10 kids has a celiac or a sensitivity to gluten, and a lot of people just feel better when they eat gluten free.” There are stations at each location dedicated to crafting and cooking food for those with dietary restrictions, such as celiac, to avoid cross contamination, Beckett said. Anna’s House also offers “celebration items,” he said, for those who just got a job promotion, engaged “or something really exciting happened in life.” “We like to be there for everybody in every season and every moment of their life journey,” Beckett said. The “vibe” of the restaurant is also important, he said, providing vibrant décor, a happy environment, bright lighting “and hopefully everyone’s smiling.” “When we put so much into the interior of the restaurant, it just really lifts everybody’s mood. The people that work there, the people that visit, and, you know, we have our blue colors and a phenomenal designer,” Beckett said. “Every single one of our stores is also very unique and different because they’re all like second generation restaurants. “We always usually remodel an old restaurant, which I think is kind of valuable because so many people, they’ll just doze it down and build a brand-new building.” The new location will employee approximately 45 people, Beckett said, with full benefits offered including healthcare, 401K and dental insurance. Beckett said he often visits the locations across the state. “We go out, we check the restaurants out. We’re huge on cleanliness, maintaining, and that’s because we’re there,” he said. “I think as a CEO of a restaurant, you should be in those restaurants seeing what your guest sees, seeing what your guests feel and seeing, the whole experience that your guest is having. “If you’re not doing that, you’re kind of failing as the leader of the brand because that’s how we get better.” He said getting feedback from customers and employees is vitally important to improving the business. Beckett holds a server’s quarter every three months, with one from each restaurant, and they’re given time to talk about how things are going. “You gotta listen to people that are dealing with, you know, with the guest,” he said. “I think that gets lost these days, and we get so many great ideas. We get so many great ideas because our goal is to listen to what the guests want and continuing to provide what they want.” As far growth beyond Grand Blanc in the state, Beckett said Anna’s House is a “slow growth brand.” “I’ve seen so many restaurants just grow too fast and then they go, then they’re out of business,” he said, with a 20-mile march for each new location. “We’re slow and steady, but we like to do one or two stores a year, and it allows us to really open the store well and serve those guests really well.”
