The German Village restaurant that gave rise to a chain with more than 50 locations in the eastern half of the United States closes its door for good on Monday.
The Max & Erma's restaurant at 739 South 3rd Street was opened as a tavern in 1958 by Max and Erma Visocnik. It was sold in 1972 to two local businessmen, who came up with the quirky decor that's still mimicked in other Max & Erma's locations.
The Max & Erma's chain was sold to a Pittsburgh-based equity firm in 2008, and went into bankruptcy protection a few months later. It was acquired by Blue Ribbon Holdings in 2010, and then sold again in 2016 to Glacier Restaurant Group.
News of the German Village closure came in a July press release that said the location could no longer meet the needs of customers.
“We will absolutely miss the German Village community, are grateful for the wonderful employees who passionately served our guests, and our incredible customers who have continuously supported us over the years,” the statement said.
The company says employees at the German Village location will be reassigned to other Columbus-area restaurants.
