Friendly's, the ice cream sundae chain based out of Wilbraham, Mass., announced late yesterday it was closing all 14 of its Ohio-based locations. Ohio.com reports all of the locations were owned by a franchisee, Apex Eagle Hospitality Inc. Friendly's released a statement on behalf of Apex Eagle: "These closings are regrettable, however continuing operation was no longer viable." Apex Eagle's CEO Daniel Digiambattista could not be reached for comment.
Nearly all of the locations that closed this week in Ohio had been continuously operating since the 1970s. Friendly's has not released information on potential closings in other states. The chain, which still operates over 300 locations across the country, has suffered from a gradual decline in popularity over the years. The chain went through bankruptcy protection in 2012. At its height, in 2000, Friendly's operated more than 600 locations in the U.S.