George Simon and his investor group announced June 22 on Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips’ Facebook page that a fourth Arthur Treacher’s restaurant is coming, to Lakewood.
Simon said by phone Monday that the Lakewood location, located at West 117th Street and Madison Avenue, will open in 30 days or less. It’s in a 1,200-square-foot building that formerly housed an Arthur Treacher’s restaurant more than 40 years ago, and more recently housed Joe’s Deli.
“That was the physical building and we’re told that it was built for Arthur Treacher,” the franchisee said. “There’s a red roof on this building that fits perfectly with the motif.”
Developer Simon, who lives in Brecksville, purchased the Garfield Heights property where Arthur Treacher’s formerly operated from previous owner Ben Vittoria in 2021. Under Vittoria’s tutelage, Simon decided to reopen Arthur Treacher’s there in 2023.
Next, after Vittoria retired in 2024 from the nostalgic Arthur Treacher’s in Cuyahoga Falls after 47 years with the restaurant brand, Simon purchased that location, too. In April 2025, he added another Arthur Treacher’s in Cleveland Heights.
“You have to have three, four, five locations to bring in enough revenue so you can have the operations director help you grow your brand,” Simon said in an interview in 2024, when he was looking for a third Arthur Treacher’s location.
The four Arthur Treacher’s stores in Northeast Ohio are the only free-standing Arthur Treacher’s restaurants in the nation. All but the Cuyahoga Falls location focus mostly on carryout, as the Falls spot has about 25 seats and the others just 5 to 15 seats.
“It’s mainly you buy your fish and take it and go,” Simon said.
The Falls location is also the only one of the four that has a drive-thru.
TruFoods holds the franchise rights for Arthur Treacher’s in Ohio and beyond. The Arthur Treacher’s chain was founded in Columbus in 1969.
Now, Simon and his partners are waiting for some equipment and doing last-minute renovations at the Lakewood restaurant.
Simon, who has an operations director now, expects to continue expanding more quickly with new Arthur Treacher’s locations.
“We’re identifying one or two more locations to immediately start and we’re going to be going south. We are gonna hit Canton,” Simon said.
In the meantime, fish and chips lovers should look for a new Arthur Treacher’s sign to be going up in Lakewood in less than 30 days.
Arts and restaurant writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: More Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips: Lakewood store is coming soon
Reporting by Kerry Clawson, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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By Kerry Clawson, Akron Beacon Journal | USA TODAY Network
