Royal Oak Rib Restaurant The Oxford Inn to Call it Quits After 27 Years

The Oxford Inn is shuttering this winter after 27 years serving customers in Royal Oak. Manager Chelsea Martin tells Eater that owner Bob Higgins has sold the building to the owner of Diamond Jim Brady's Bistro in Novi, and are considering moving The Oxford to a smaller location, although those plans aren't settled yet.

Martin says she's doesn't have an official last day for the restaurant, but knows The Oxford will close "for sure by the end of February." As for Martin, she's getting out of the industry to try something new. "I'm done with the restaurant business," she says.

In 2013, owner Bob Higgins tried rebranding The Oxford as Bobby's Nashville Bar and Grill, to the confusion of some customers and ran into challenges over city dance permit regulations.

The restaurant was also the focus of an episode of On the Rocks, a Food Network show in which expert John Green visited the struggling business. During the episode, the bar behind the restaurant was redesigned as Lock and Key Speakeasy, which has also closed.