ANN ARBOR, MI — On a weekday afternoon in downtown Ann Arbor, Chera Tramontin looked out from Kilwins and saw just two customers sitting outside a nearby lunch spot.

“They should be having their lunch rush,” she said. “Businesses can’t live like this.”

After 42 years in operation, Kilwins at 107 E. Liberty St. will close permanently Dec. 31. Tramontin, who took over the shop from her mother, Karen Piehutkowski, said the decision was made three years ago, in late 2022 amid declining foot traffic, rising costs and changes within the Kilwins franchise.

“It’s a ghost town down here,” she said. “Monday through Wednesday, you could come morning, noon or night and find a parking spot.”

Tramontin cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a turning point. Remote work emptied nearby office buildings and ch

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