Growing up, Eric Lies and his grandma stopped at the West End Frisch’s for a Big Boy and vanilla Coke before Cincinnati Reds games.
Still a fan of the restaurant, he just bought a closed Frisch’s in Norwood, with plans to open a sixth location of Noah’s Ark Animal Clinics at the site.
He’s not sure whether he’ll remodel the Norwood building or tear it down. Either way, he said, “It’s not going to look like a Frisch’s when we’re done.”
Purchase ‘took every single penny,’ owner says
Lies, president and CEO of Noah’s Ark, bought the Norwood building and site at 4765 Montgomery Road at auction, paying $880,000 on July 7, according to county property records.
He prayed as bidding closed, he said, since his offer “took every single penny” he had available.
Lies said he’s leaning toward renovation rather than tear down. “The building itself has a very good framework,” he said.
Either way, he’s aiming to open his newest Noah’s Ark by fall of 2027.
Pet-friendly apartments were among draws
The new veterinarian business will sit next to Montgomery and Maple, an apartment building for 55-and-older residents set to open next summer.
That project factored into Lies’ decision about where to put a long-desired Norwood address. For an extra, not-yet-published fee, Montgomery and Maple residents can have up to two pets per apartment.
The site’s northern border – the Norwood Lateral, also known as Ohio 562 – was also a draw. “It’s easy to see,” Lies said.
Norwood’s central location in Greater Cincinnati, along with its middle-income and dense population, were also factors, he said.
Lies is 4th generation in pet care
Veterinarian John Lies, the son of veterinarian George Lies, launched Noah’s Ark in 1969. The first store still operates in Colerain Township.
John Lies’ son Mike, also a vet, took over in 1980, focused on providing affordable and comprehensive vet services, including same-day appointments.
New stores followed – Fort Wright, Kentucky; then West Chester; Florence, Kentucky; and Springdale.
Eric Lies, a 45-year-old who is not a veterinarian, worked for his dad from age 12 to 24. After that, he worked for a Christian ministry called Young Life in Denver.
He returned to help run the business in 2013, becoming CEO and president about seven years ago. Mike Lies retired in 2020, but still consults with his son.
Fate and faith helped seal the deal
The Norwood site was built in 1970, according to property records. The store closed in November 2024, part of the chain’s overall dismantling.
Lies said he and his real estate agent only learned the Norwood Frisch’s site would go to auction in late June.
Given his long search for a Norwood location – and his love of Big Boys – fate (and faith) came into play, he said.
“It felt a little bit meant to be.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Former Frisch’s regular to turn closed restaurant into vet clinic
Reporting by Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
