If you grew up in Cincinnati, you know the smell of a Frisch's Big Boy. It’s that specific mix of crinkle-cut fries, tarter sauce, and nostalgia. For decades, that chubby kid in checkered overalls was a permanent fixture of the Tri-State landscape. But lately, those fiberglass statues have been disappearing faster than a side of onion rings on a Friday night.
The drama surrounding frisch's big boy evictions cincinnati has been a messy, public, and frankly heartbreaking saga for anyone who considers a "Brawny Lad" a food group. It wasn't just a couple of underperforming stores closing their doors. We're talking about a systematic collapse that saw nearly half the brand's footprint vanish in a matter of months.
Honestly, the whole thing felt like watching a slow-motion car crash. One week, the Mainliner in Fairfax is celebrating its history; the next, there’s a sheriff’s notice on the door and the grill is cold.
The $4.5 Million Hole in the Pocket
Basically, the trouble started when the rent checks stopped clearing. It sounds simple, but the back story is way more corporate than you’d think. Back in 2015, an Atlanta-based private equity firm called NRD Capital bought Frisch's for about $175 million. Shortly after, they did what a lot of these firms do: a sale-leaseback.
They sold the actual land and buildings to a real estate investment trust (REIT) called NNN REIT LP for around $47 million.
Frisch's went from owning their dirt to being tenants in their own homes. By late 2024, the bill came due. Court documents revealed that Frisch's was behind on rent to the tune of $4.5 million. When you’re paying roughly $18,000 a month per location—up significantly from what it cost a decade ago—the math just stops working.
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NNN REIT didn't wait around. They filed eviction notices for over 20 locations across Hamilton, Clermont, Butler, and Warren counties. It was a bloodbath.
- The Mainliner in Fairfax: This one hurt. It was the first year-round drive-in in the city. Now? It’s a ghost.
- Blue Ash and Norwood: Gone.
- Colerain and Delhi: Vacated within seven days of the hearings.
- Anderson Township and Forest Park: Handed over to the bailiffs.
A "Big Boy" Turf War Nobody Expected
You'd think once the stores closed, that would be the end of it. Wrong. It actually got weirder.
As Frisch's was getting kicked out, the "other" Big Boy entered the chat. You see, the Big Boy brand is split. Frisch's owns the rights in our neck of the woods (Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana), while a Michigan-based group (Big Boy Restaurant Group) owns the rest of the country.
The Michigan group saw the empty buildings and tried to move in. They even started hiring people to reopen the evicted Cincinnati spots.
Frisch's—or what was left of it—sued immediately. They claimed trademark infringement. A judge actually stepped in and told the Michigan group they couldn't use the Big Boy name here. So, for a hot minute, we had these "Dolly’s Burgers & Shakes" popping up in old Frisch's buildings. Dolly is Big Boy’s girlfriend in the old comics, by the way.
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It didn't last. By October 2025, the Michigan group realized they couldn't make it work without the iconic branding and pulled out of Cincinnati entirely. All six Dolly’s locations shut down.
Who Is Running the Show Now?
If you’re looking for a silver lining, it’s that the brand isn't totally dead. In a last-minute "save the company" move, two long-time executives, Don Short and Cheryl White, bought what was left of the brand.
They aren't private equity guys; they're people who have been with Frisch's for a combined 38 years. They essentially cherry-picked the locations that were actually making money and weren't tied up in the NNN REIT disaster.
Right now, the "New Frisch's" is operating about 30 locations. That’s a far cry from the 120 they had at their peak, but it's better than zero.
Why It Matters to You
Look, change is inevitable, but this felt personal for Cincinnati. When a private equity firm strips the real estate and the rent hikes become unsustainable, the community loses a piece of its history.
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If you want to keep the "Big Boy" alive, the best thing you can do is actually visit the stores that survived. The ones still standing—like the ones in North College Hill or certain Northern Kentucky spots—are the ones being bet on by the people who actually know how to flip a burger, not just a spreadsheet.
Moving forward, keep an eye on the following:
Check the official Frisch’s website before you drive across town. Google Maps hasn't always been fast enough to catch the "Vacate" signs. If you have old gift cards, use them immediately. While the new management is trying to honor the brand's legacy, the legal landscape for these types of restructurings can change fast. Support the remaining locations in the suburbs that weren't part of the NNN REIT portfolio, as these are the most stable "New Frisch's" outposts.
The era of a Frisch's on every corner is over, but the era of the $4.5 million eviction battle finally seems to be settling into a quiet, albeit smaller, reality.