The fate of several Frisch's Big Boy restaurants hangs in the balance as the landlord, NNN Reit Inc., pushes for eviction from multiple Hamilton County locations, including the historic Mainliner in Fairfax. The looming evictions, set to be decided in a court hearing on December 13, threaten not only the original Mainliner but also outlets in Queensgate, Sharonville, and two already closed sites in North College Hill and West Price Hill, as per information from a Cincinnati.com report.
In light of escalating legal disputes, the landlord has claimed that the regional diner chain owes over $4.5 million in unpaid rent. The nostalgic eater brand is now facing a stark number; more than 20 properties are to be evicted potentially, delineating a possible end to a quarter of Frisch's near 80 Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana locations. These developments follow an October 23 announcement by Frisch's Restaurants acknowledging the threat of multiple evictions due to "unforeseen circumstances," as stated in the Cincinnati.com article.
Amidst this upheaval, the community has voiced its dismay, with patrons of the Mainliner expressing sadness over the potential closure of a business that has long stood as a communal landmark. "Surprising, surreal, I mean hard to see such an iconic restaurant go down like that," Wendy Rosas, a customer of Mainliner, told WCPO. Steve Cole, another patron, shared a sense of loss with WCPO, saying, "It’s a big thing here in Cincinnati to see it going is strange."
According to court documents obtained by WLWT, the eviction hearings for the five locations were formerly filed on November 21. The filings have catalyzed a retrospective appreciation for Frisch's irreplaceable role in the Cincinnati community. "Me and my mom have always been really, really big fans of the salad bar, so we came up here to give it at least a last hurrah," Cole reminisced in his statement to WCPO.
