But what has been a southwest Ohio tradition for at least 77 years is now in some jeopardy.
Multiple Frisch’s locations have closed recently — restaurants in Springfield, Middletown and Lebanon in the past few weeks, after Beavercreek and Moraine stores closed in 2023. Several others, not all, are listed for eviction in a recent court filing. It all follows the company’s 2015 purchase by a private equity firm, then a complicated sale-leaseback deal.
Twice-a-year habit
Janell and Virgil Bowers, of Fort Wayne, Ind., stopped for lunch at the Old Troy Pike Frisch’s on Saturday during one of their biannual trips to Ohio.
Virgil, who is retired from the Army, said he and his wife, both in their 70s, always eat at Frisch’s on their way to or from the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Exchange, where they spend the day shopping.
Though not from Ohio, the couple is long familiar with the Big Boy brand. Fort Wayne was previously home to an Azar’s Big Boy restaurant, a sub-franchisee of Frisch’s.
While Azar’s is long closed, the Bowers look forward to getting their fix of Big Boys and hot fudge cake each time they pass through Huber Heights.
“It would be disappointing if it were to close,” Virgil said. “The service has always been good here; it’s clean, and they’ve got great salad and breakfast bars.”
Frisch’s history, changes
There were Frisch’s cafes in Cincinnati in the early 1900s, but the first Frisch’s Big Boy restaurant opened in 1947 in downtown Cincinnati. Known for their namesake Big Boy sandwiches, salad bars and pumpkin pies, Frisch’s had at one point grown to more than 200 locations, according to the company.
After recent closures, there are roughly 40 stores stretching from northern Kentucky through Cincinnati to the Dayton-Springfield region, according to a map on the Frisch’s website (with another 15-20 sprinkled through Indiana, Kentucky and southern Ohio).
Two of the local eateries closed for good last month — one of the two Middletown locations, 3560 S. Dixie Highway, and one in Lebanon, at 1330 Columbus Ave. They were followed by the restaurant on North Bechtle Avenue in Springfield.
That number could rise in the coming weeks or months, as Middletown’s second location, at 1800 Germantown Road, and one in Fairfield, 6638 Dixie Highway, are listed on eviction notices, according to Clermont County court records.
An everyday home base for some
For some customers, Frisch’s is more than just a restaurant. The potential closure of the remaining locations would mean the loss of a central gathering place, one less opportunity to socialize, or even a fundamental change in day-to-day life.
On any given day of the week, Jim Moler of Dayton can be found sitting at the counter in the Frisch’s located at 8154 Old Troy Pike. The only variable is the time of day; some days he’s there for breakfast, others for lunch or dinner.
“I come here seven days a week; I don’t cook at home,” Moler, 83, said of the routine he’s kept since about 1998. “It’s affordable ... and when you’re old and single, you look for any excuse to get out of the house.”
Moler’s first time eating at a Frisch’s was in 1957 after the company purchased and converted the Country Kitchen restaurant on Keowee Street in Dayton. He was 16 years old.
His first Frisch’s meal? “A Big Boy, of course,” Moler reminisced.
Frisch’s purchased the Country Kitchen restaurant in Moraine around the same time, and by the end of the 1950s, there were six Frisch’s locations in the region, including in Greenville, Troy and Fairborn.
Throughout the years, Frisch’s remained a staple in Moler’s life. At a certain point, the tasty food was almost secondary to the benefit of community and connection the restaurant provided him.
“You come to the restaurant, sit in the same place every day — somehow, no one else is ever sitting there — and you get to know the waitresses, the other regular customers, and it becomes a social visit,” Moler said.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Judy Smith of Huber Heights had lunch at Frisch’s with her friend, Brenda, on Saturday. The two met up for some shopping in the nearby outlet stores before ending the outing with a meal.
“There are a lot of places to eat around here, but Frisch’s is more of a family restaurant and one that’s been around for a while,” Smith said. “It’s a place where seniors can meet and socialize, and we see plenty of young people here too. The food is good and the service is always great.”
While Smith only dines at Frisch’s occasionally, she said she would be disappointed to see more of the restaurants close.
“I think it would be a loss to the community,” she said.
About the Author