Max & Erma's
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Subsidiary | |
Industry | Restaurant |
Founded | 1972 |
Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio |
Number of locations | 51 |
Key people | Todd Barnum and Barry Zacks (co-founders) |
Parent | Glacier Restaurant Group |
Website | www.maxandermas.com |
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Max & Erma's is an American casual dining restaurant chain based in Columbus, Ohio. It operates throughout parts of the Eastern and Midwestern United States and 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 the Max & Erma's name and created the theme restaurant which featured a converted bathtub that served as a sundae bar.[1] 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.
On January 25, 2016, it was announced that Glacier Restaurant Group had purchased ownership of 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 will close on August 7, 2017, citing a lack of financial viability.[5]
In July 2017, the restaurant chain announced their loyalty program[6] with Punchh. By directly engaging customers on their mobile devices, Max and Erma’s will reward customers for their repeat visits and referring their friends.
References
- ↑ "Our Memories". Max and Erma's. Archived from the original on 2010-11-26. Retrieved Nov 13, 2010.
- ↑ Eaton, Dan (April 28, 2008). "Max & Erma's to be acquired for $10.2M".
- ↑ "Max & Erma's files for bankruptcy". The Columbus Dispatch.
- ↑ 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
- ↑ "Original Max & Erma's in German Village to close Aug 7". The Columbus Dispatch.
- ↑ "Max & Erma's Partners with Punchh to Launch New Loyalty App". Hospitalitytech.com. July 6, 2017.
External links