A sign posted to the restaurant's door May 6 indicated the Indianapolis-based restaurant chain has closed the location and designated it for a franchise partner.
The restaurant's closure will be followed by renovation to install new equipment to improve speed and customer services and re-open under new franchise ownership.
Here’s a look at other Butler County restaurants that closed in recent months:
MARCH: Long John Silver’s
Middletown's Long John Silver's at 1304 S. Breiel Blvd. posted a "closed" sign in March.
The 1,855-square-foot building in which the Middletown restaurant was housed was constructed in 1976, according to the Butler County Auditor’s Office.
Founded in 1969, the Louisville, Ky.-based Long John Silver’s has nearly 1,000 franchised restaurants nationwide, including Hamilton, Fairfield, West Chester Twp., Springboro, West Carrollton and Dayton.
MORE: Longtime Middletown fast-food restaurant closes
FEBRUARY: Moe’s Southwest Grill
A “notice to leave premises” posted by a Cincinnati law firm on the doors of Moe's Southwest Grill, 7687 Doc Drive, recently evicted the business for “failure to timely pay minimum rent and other financial obligations under the lease” for the property.
The store, which opened in August 2015, also was removed from the Moe’s Southwest Grill website.
There’s no word yet what business may open in its place.
MORE: West Chester restaurant evicted, closes after three-plus years in business
JANUARY: Spinning Fork
The iconic eatery at 6765 Dixie Highway shut its doors and alerted employees and guests that its January shutdown was permanent.
A sign posted to its door thanked customers for their years of support and informed them the location will be “undergoing changes and opening with a new management group.”
While the restaurant's website at www.spinningfork.net is marked as "down for maintenance," a new website at www.spinningforkmiddletown.com launched in January to promote the location at 2229 N. Verity Parkway, which continues to operate.
JANUARY: Quarter Barrel Brewery & Pub
Both the Hamilton and Oxford locations of Oxford Barrel Brewery + Pub closed their doors Jan. 3.
“To say that we are disappointed is an understatement,” reads the post. “So many of you made us a part of your lives over the last eight years, and we are grateful for your support and friendship. We will miss being together. Thank you for everything.”
The Hamilton location opened in January 2018 and the Oxford location opened in 2010.
MORE: Restaurant and pub abruptly shuts down Hamilton, Oxford locations
DECEMBER 2018: Blast Furnace Pizza
A Middletown pizza place Blast Furnace Pizza abruptly closed its doors Dec. 5, 2018 — just a little more than one week before its one-year anniversary.
The restaurant, whose name and decor paid tribute to the Middletown’s steel-making history, opened Dec. 15, 2017, offering pizza, salads and desserts.
MORE: Middletown pizza restaurant abruptly closes
NOVEMBER 2018: Marco’s Pizza
Marco’s Pizza in Middletown shut its doors at 1300 S. Breiel Blvd. in November when its lease ended. A sign posted on the door to the restaurant said it was looking to relocate, but “until then, please visit one of our other 40 Cincinnati and Dayton area locations.”
Marco’s Pizza opened the 1,800-square-foot freestanding location in September 2012, relocating from a previous storefront on South Breiel Boulevard.
MORE: Pizza franchise closes Middletown location
SEPTEMBER 2018: Bob Evans
Bob Evans at 4646 Dixie Highway closed in September without warning.
The restaurant’s phone number was routed to Bob Evans’ corporate headquarters in New Albany and the company soon removed all signage posted on and in front of the building.
The chain closed dozens of under-performing restaurants in the two years prior to the sale.
MORE: Bob Evans abruptly shuts down Butler County location
AUGUST 2018: Andy’s Restaurant
After more than 60 years in business, Andy’s Restaurant at 939 Main St. in Hamilton served its last meals Sept. 1.
The restaurant was started in 1956 by Andy Lambros of Hamilton. It was sold in 2001 to Tim Wolf, who grew up in Hamilton and had fond memories of hanging out and eating at the cozy mom-and-pop restaurant.
Wolf spent the past 17 years as not only the restaurant’s owner, but also its chef.
MORE: Hamilton restaurant closing its doors after 62 years
JUNE 2018: Dad’s Family Restaurant
A Middletown restaurant abruptly shut down this month — so far without explanation.
Dad’s Family Restaurant at 3131 S. Main St. served its last meal on June 17, then placed a “closed” sign in the window, thanking customers for their patronage.
Dad’s, a mix of a diner and a homestyle country kitchen, started out in the early 1990s as Sunshine Cafe and then cut ties with the franchise to become Kelly’s Cafe & Bar in 1996. That restaurant closed in the spring of 2001 before it was reopened as Dad’s Family Restaurant with Mom’s Touch in September of that year.
Its menu focused on American cuisine, including soups, salads, pasta, burgers, steaks, chicken, sandwiches, seafood and pork chops.
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