1 week Ago By Lisa Burn
The removal of a historic sign marks the end of an era for a much-loved burger bar in Cincinnati. Workmen took down the Mainliner sign from Frisch’s Big Boy in Fairfax, Ohio earlier this week following the restaurant’s closure in December. The flagship location opened in 1939 and was the oldest in the Frisch’s restaurant chain, predating even the Big Boy name.
It was named after the first tri-motor passenger plane and according to Frisch’s website, was the region’s first year-round drive-in. Along with several other Frisch’s locations, the Mainliner shuttered for good on December 23 following legal action over unpaid rent. A court order evicting the restaurant was issued on December 13 by Hamilton County Magistrates.
Read more on closures The landlord – NNN Reit, based in Orlando, Florida – filed the eviction notices in November and was owed $4.5 million in back rent, per Yahoo! Finance . In its heyday there were 200 Frisch’s restaurants, according to the company’s website.
However today only 21 locations are listed on the site: 11 in Ohio, three in Indiana and seven in Kentucky. IN THE COMMENTS The sign is now headed to the American Sign Museum in Camp Washington, where it will have a new lease of life. Most read in Money Reaction to the sign’s dismantling was mixed on social media .
“Retail history and my mother is spinning in her grave...
” said one commenter on the Facebook group Retail Dead or Alive . “I’m glad it’s going to the museum, at least,” said another user. While a third commented: “Perhaps if they have bills needing to be paid, they could sell others as well - seems like something that collectors would be willing to buy.
” EATERY ISSUES The Frisch’s Big Boy chain is not the only restaurant company to experience difficulties in recent months. Chick-Fil-A closed its Jackson, Mississippi eatery at the end of 2024, after 31 years in business. BOSSES at major dining chains have announced a series of restaurant closures.
The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of the chain's affected.
Cracker Barrel: Stores in Medford, Oregon, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California, have closed. Mod Pizza: Bosses dramatically shuttered 27 shops in April, including some in the state of California. Frisch's Big Boy: Restaurant chiefs confirmed the closure of a restaurant in Covington, Kentucky in April.
Outback Steakhouse: The chain will shutter 41 'underperforming' locations this year. Two Bucks: Four restaurants in Ohio closed in April. Chili's: A restaurant in Port Arthur, Texas, has shut permanently as well as one in Irvine, California, and one in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Friendly's: Bosses confirmed an establishment in Ronkonkoma, Long Island will close. Pizza Hut: A restaurant in Glen Falls, New York, closed at the end of March, followed by four in Ohio in June and 15 in Indiana. This was followed in July by a bankruptcy filing from its parent company which announced the closure of 150 locations.
Carl's Jr. : The first Boise, Idaho location has closed. In-N-Out : An Oakland location closed earlier in the year due to crime in the area.
Cheesecake Factory : The chain is set to shutter a location in Memphis, Tennessee in July. Applebee's : Announced the closure of between 25 and 35 locations this year. Red Lobster: The seafood chain filed for bankruptcy in May and shuttered over 100 locations.
Taco John's: Shuttered a restaurant in Minnesota and put the building up for sale in May. Frisco's Chicken: The poultry restaurant shuttered all of its locations over the summer Rubio's Coastal Grill: Has announced the closure of 48 locations in California after filing for bankruptcy. Burger King: Shuttered a location in California in June after 30 years.
Foster's Freeze: Shuttered a location in California after five decades in business due to financial struggles. Chicken Salad Chick: After nine years the restaurant shuttered one location in Jacksonville, Florida, with no reason given. México Lindo : The New York City-based restaurant announced its final day after 52 years and finally shuttered its doors for good on July 31.
American Dream Pizza: Closed all of its locations in Oregon in July. Tender Greens: The Southern California-based chain filed for bankruptcy. Lefty's Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, & Grill : Abruptly shuttered 18 locations in July due to a family feud.
Firehouse Subs: Shuttered a location in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State over the summer citing "unforeseen circumstances" Taco Time: The Taco Bell rival shuttered a location in Seattle after 50 years following a death in the franchise owner's family. Burgerim : Shuttered a location in Burlington, Massachusetts in July, reigniting bankruptcy fears from 2020. Denny's: The chain has shuttered over 40 locations so far this year with the owner of the one outlet blaming vandalism.
Starbucks: The chain shuttered one of its most iconic locations in New York City after almost three decades with fans blaming crime. It also lost a location in Seattle. Subway: In August, the sandwich chain shuttered over 20 locations across the US and Canada after a franchisee lost money after being a victim of fraud.
IHOP: A restaurant in New Hampshire shut its doors after 24 years, leaving four locations in the state. Switchback Coffee Roasters: The popular chain filed for bankruptcy in August after over a decade in business. Jimmy John's: The sandwich shop chain shuttered a location in Nevada on August 19 after 12 years citing overexpansion issues.
KFC : Closed the remaining three locations in Rockford, Illinois all on the same day on August 19. In total, it closed six locations across four cities in Illinois. Rusty Bucket: The chicken shop chain confirmed it would officially leave Florida as it announced a handful of closures including in Sarasota and Ohio.
Buca di Beppo: The Olive Garden rival abruptly shuttered 44 locations across five states before filing for bankruptcy. Red Robin : Announced the closure of its Ashburn, Virginia location on August 25 after 15 years in business. Noodles & Company : Shuttered dozens of locations due to their contribution to around $2 million worth of losses.
Shoney's : The classic American-style food chain founded in 1947 officially exited Ohio after three decades of business as it reduced its operational footprint. Homegrown: The sandwich chain based in Seattle announced the closure of 10 locations leaving 150 employees in the lurch. World of Beer: Filed for bankruptcy after closing 14 outlets.
Arby's: The chain announced a number of closures this year including in Lexington, Kentucky, Akron, Ohio, Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Shuttered a location in New Jersey in July, leaving just two in the state, followed by the closure of a Baltimore location in August. Hart House: Shutterd all four locations in California in September just two years after the vegan fast-food restaurant chain was launched by actor and comedian Kevin Hart. It announced the closure via a note shared with customers, many of whom were devastated by the news.
Meanwhile, around a dozen Wendy’s restaurants closed down in Michigan towards the end of last year. Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner had announced in October that 140 locations would be shut for good in underperforming areas. However he added that the chain - the second largest fast-food chain in America – would continue to open new restaurants around the world.
“Our focus is on building new restaurants because we know they deliver well over the average of these poor-performing restaurants,” he said on an earnings call in October last year. “We, overall, want the best restaurants for the customers and that customer experience we want to deliver.” Read More on The US Sun Retailers are also feeling the heat as Big Lots faces mass closures.
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