Max & Erma's

Last updated
Max & Erma's
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Restaurant
Founded1972
Headquarters
Key people
Todd Barnum and Barry Zacks (co-founders)
Parent Glacier Restaurant Group
Website www.maxandermas.com

Max & Erma's is an American casual dining restaurant chain based in Columbus, Ohio. As of April 2024, the company operates 7 locations in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1972 by Todd Barnum and Barry Zacks. The two businessmen purchased a local tavern in Columbus's German Village which had been operated by Max and Erma Visocnik since 1958. They retained Max & Erma's name and created the theme restaurant which featured a converted bathtub that served as a sundae bar. [1]

Contents

Max & Erma's was purchased by Pittsburgh-based equity investor G&R Acquisition Inc. in a $10.2 million deal in April 2008. [2] The company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 26, 2009. [3] It was acquired by American Blue Ribbon Holdings, owners of the Village Inn and Bakers Square restaurant chains, in 2010.[ citation needed ]

On January 25, 2016, it was announced that Glacier Restaurant Group had purchased Max & Erma's from American Blue Ribbon Holdings. This sale occurred after the closing of 19 of the restaurant's locations that were described as underperforming. [4]

On July 28, 2017, Glacier announced that the original German Village Max & Erma's location would close on August 7, 2017, citing a lack of financial viability. [5]

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References

  1. "Our Memories". Max and Erma's. Archived from the original on 2010-11-26. Retrieved Nov 13, 2010.
  2. Eaton, Dan (April 28, 2008). "Max & Erma's to be acquired for $10.2M". Columbus Business First. Retrieved 2019-11-22.
  3. "Max & Erma's files for bankruptcy". The Columbus Dispatch. October 26, 2009. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012.
  4. Press Release: GLACIER RESTAURANT GROUP BUYS MAX & ERMA’S TO ADD TO ITS GROWING PORTFOLIO http://www.grgfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/GRG-Acquires-Max-and-Ermas-1.25.16-2.pdf
  5. Malone, JD (July 28, 2017). "Original Max & Erma's in German Village to close Aug 7". The Columbus Dispatch. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017.