About 10-15 people had been employed by each branch prior to closing, according to Friendly’s spokesman Ryan Levasseur.
“These closings are regrettable, however continuing operation was no longer viable,” the company said in a statement. “Friendly’s thanks its guests for their loyal patronage.”
Joe Garrison, a regular customer at the restaurant’s Beavercreek location, showed up Monday afternoon and was surprised to find its doors were closed.
“It’s sad, that’s for sure,” he said. “I know all the waiters and waitresses and we chat all the time, and I never heard a word.”
Garrison, who’s been eating at the restaurant for 10 years, said he had just been at the restaurant on Sunday.
“It looked pretty good. There were a few more customers than normal,” he said. “This is a big surprise.”
Levasseur would not give specific details on why the restaurants closed. He said leases at several of the restaurants had ended, but did not have information about the future of the buildings.
“Neither Friendly’s nor APEX Eagle Hospitality Inc. own the properties, but they are hopeful the spaces will be leased again in the near future,” Levasseur said.
The restaurants were located at 1901 West Main St., Troy,; 564 West National Road, Vandalia; 500 East Stroop Road, Kettering,; 3281 Dayton-Xenia Road, Beavercreek; and 8270 N Springboro Pike, Miamisburg.
Friendly’s operates more than 300 restaurants in 14 states. It was founded 1935 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
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