Up to 20 Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurants in Greater Cincinnati Face Eviction

Frisch’s Big Boy, an iconic local name in Greater Cincinnati, is facing a significant crisis as up to 20 of its locations are in jeopardy of eviction. Restaurants in Lebanon and Franklin are set to close in the next week, following several other closures earlier in 2024.

Ashley Ferguson, an employee at the Frisch’s location on Germantown Road in Middletown, expressed her concern and heartbreak over the situation. She mentioned that for months, the restaurant had been experiencing troubling signs, such as not receiving normal food shipments and discovering that bills were not being paid. Managers have even taken money out of their own pockets to purchase essential items like butter for the store.

Court records reveal that NNN Reit, the investment company that owns the properties, has filed eviction cases for more than 20 Frisch’s locations across southwest Ohio. Attorneys for Frisch’s have attempted to work with the landlord to avoid these evictions but have had their proposals rejected. This has resulted in “needless legal fees, a waste of judicial resources, and abrupt job losses”.

At least seven other locations, including those in Anderson Township, Loveland, Bethel, Hillsboro, Fairfield, and Green Township, are facing the possibility of eviction with court hearings scheduled over the coming weeks. Frisch’s is seeking more time to develop a plan for closing its stores, citing eviction hearings scheduled every week through mid-November.

The closures and potential evictions come after Frisch’s, a more than 75-year-old regional comfort food chain, has seen a decline in recent years. The company, which once had over 200 locations, now operates 37 restaurants across the Tri-State area. Frisch’s was acquired by Atlanta-based NRD Capital in 2015 and has since undergone significant changes, including the appointment of a new CEO in 2022.