Frisch’s Big Boy’s landlord is suing to evict the iconic eatery from five more Hamilton County locations, including its historic Mainliner restaurant in Fairfax.
The latest legal action also appears to jeopardize Frisch’s Big Boys in Queensgate and Sharonville. Two other properties are Big Boy locations that have already closed, in North College Hill and West Price Hill. All the properties are the subject of a court hearing scheduled for Dec. 13, according to court records.
Frisch’s Mainliner location is named for the first tri-motor passenger plane that operated from nearby Lunken Airport, according to Frisch’s website. An image of the airplane is featured on its sign.
The latest action comes amid Frisch's Restaurants’ disclosure on Oct. 23 that it faces an unspecified number of evictions from several locations due to "unforeseen circumstances." Court records reveal "more than 20" properties face eviction in Southwest Ohio – or a quarter of Frisch's Restaurants' nearly 80 locations in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Records also show the landlord, Orlando-based NNN Reit Inc., claims Frisch's owes more than $4.5 million in rent.
NNN owns 66 Frisch's properties, according to its portfolio on its website, nnnreit.com. The Florida company acquired dozens of locations in 2015 when the chain sold the properties and leased them back.
Both Frisch’s and NNN Reit have repeatedly declined comment on their ongoing dispute. In mid-November, Frisch’s disclosed a group of Ohio managers had purchased an undisclosed number of its restaurants.
In the past six weeks, Frisch’s Big Boy has shuttered about 10 locations in Southwest Ohio.
The beloved local eatery's legal troubles have emerged six months after its Atlanta-based ownership pledged "no more" of its restaurants would close after five in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Dayton were abruptly shuttered this spring.
The closings were the latest wave by the chain, which cut more than 40 restaurants, or one-third of the 121 locations, since it was acquired by the Atlanta-based investment firm in 2015 for $175 million.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Frisch's Big Boy landlord pursues more evictions against restaurant co