Donatos Closes Doors: “Not Enough Business”
Company says it's repositioning itself in Cleveland market
The Avon Lake Donatos Pizza closed its doors permanently on Oct. 24. A catering specialist with the company said the location did not have enough business to remain open.
The Columbus-based Donatos opened the Avon Lake store on Walker Road 10 years ago.
Tom Santor, Donatos media relations representative, said the company is repositioning itself in Cleveland. Donatos maintains more than 200 stores throughout six midwest states.
“We have a commitment and focus to grow through franchising,” Santor said. “We sold six Cleveland franchises including North Olmsted, Lakewood, Copley, Solon and Parma to Titan Group and closed several others including Avon Lake.”
Santor said the building that housed the Avon Lake Donatos does not meet the requirements of the current business model.
“The building design, size, the whole business model is totally different from where we are now,” Santor said. “It had lots of dine-in seating. It’s not consistent with ho we’re expanding right now.”
Santor also confirmed insufficient business was part of the reason for the store's closing.
He said Titan is building 10 more stores in next five years in the Greater Cleveland area but it was too soon to tell if Avon Lake will host one of those stores. It has not yet been ruled out.”
“As Titan Group expands there will be an investigation into whether Avon Lake makes sense for us,” Santor said. “We had great customers there.”
Tom Coffin
2:19 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
While I hate to see anyone go out of business, lose their job, etc. I think this is good news for locally owned Mom and Pop restaurants. Any way why would you go to a chain and eat pizza when the best pizza is right across the street at Stella's? No I don't work there, but I eat a lot of pizza.
Bill Bishop
3:09 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
Lol, Tom! There seems to be a run on bars opening in town. How about one more right there? Maybe like a nice live music venue? Don't people in Lorain County like live music or what? Could have regional and national acts there. Tons of parking and it's right across the street from the popo.
Dave D
9:07 am on Friday, October 28, 2011
There is a new (old) bar opening up in Drug Mart plaza, e old McCarthys. This Donato's is way too small for a bar/night club place, and way too big for a pizza shop. That is why it failed. I know, I own a local business here.
Lori E. Switaj
4:25 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
Bill, will Crazy Chester play the new joint?
Bill Bishop
4:46 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
As a matter of fact, the place will be called Crazy Chesters.
Tom Coffin
5:24 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
I think we should go halves and call it "Crazy Chester-Time"
Michael Bolten
11:19 pm on Thursday, October 27, 2011
Tom Coffin - are you serious about Stellas Pizza? I would rather eat old lunch meat off the bathroom floor at convenient than eat at stellas. It well know to be the dirtiest kitchen in the City with the dirtiest people cooking in it! How is Stellas a mom and pop place
more like uncle fester and lily muensters place
Anneliese
1:36 am on Friday, October 28, 2011
I'm going to have to favor Donatos
Candace Ashton
7:26 am on Friday, October 28, 2011
Best pizza we've found (in this area) is, without a doubt, Danny Boys. Well worth the trip to Rocky River.
David
7:50 am on Friday, October 28, 2011
I was told by a parent of a former employee that Donatos is looking for buyers for their restaurants and those who didn't get buyers were closed - doesn't really match up with what the company said. Locally we liked Romeos, but the local store won't take checks so we don't order pizza from them anymore - their corporate office said it was not corporate policy, but a local store decision. Romeos' phone number is close to ours and we're constantly getting calls for them - I'm about to start taking orders.
Tom Coffin
8:21 am on Friday, October 28, 2011
Candace-I agree with Danny Boys. I wish they hadn't closed their Avon Lake store. Romeos doesn't have online ordering either which if you are a delivery type org is a must. Dominos and Pizza Hut are way out front on this.
Dave D
9:29 am on Friday, October 28, 2011
In case you all haven't tried a Dominos pizza lately, I was pleasantly surprised. They have improved their product greatly. For my money, Pizza cutter in Avon Lake has the best pizza. Fresh made, handmade crusts. No other place in Avon Lake can match their quality.
Dave
12:44 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
well.... I agree with C.Rock, Pizza Cutter is a VERY hit or miss purchase. Most times the toppings and sauce are 4 inches from the edge. And their pizza's are almost always overdone for my liking.
Food service is so dependent on the SERVICE end of the purchase. Example would be Tuckys in Avon Lake. Went there the first couple of weeks it was open. Poor service, dark dining room, expensive prices, and just not a "new" business atmosphere, I wrote a email to the management, and never got a reply. I would bet they are soon to be gone, its rare I even see one car in the parking lot. One mom and pop establishment that left was a loss, when they closed up hot dog heven in Avon. Nice employees, fast service and ok prices.
But I do agree there is not much good pizza in the area for our tastes....
C.Rock
1:51 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
We don't even order pizza anymore because there is no decent pizza in Avon Lake! Use to order from Pizza Cutter at least 2-3 times a month for years until they changed owners. Once that happened, we tried everyone else and said forget it! I would love for a mom & pop fabulous pizza place to open!
Frank Krempasky
1:57 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
Remeo's was the peoples choice at the 2011 Rotary Pizza Bake-off.
Frank Krempasky
1:59 pm on Friday, October 28, 2011
I am curious if this was a snap decision or did the city know about this? We need to continue to patronize our local business owner's as much as possible.
Dave D
7:00 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
I agree, there are great places to eat in Avon Lake, and you really have to hang in there if you are a business. This is a very difficult town to try and run a business, because of it's demographics. Average age about 40, young children, and a bedroom community. Many of the people living here would rather go elsewhere for their dining needs. In fact, I participate regularly in these forums, and have seen that mentioned frequently. It's hard for example to resist the lure of Crocker Park.
We are located with virtually nothing to the North of us but the Lake. To the West we have a Ford plant, and poly one. Almost no population on those two side to draw from. Avon Lake is great place to live and send your kids to school. Today's society seems to have other priorities, so you move into Avon Lake, start a business here and try to expand into other cities. I own a business here, and get great support from the community. There are just not enough people living here.
Donato's has been shrinking for years now, and I wouldn't consider it a "local" business. I think it was company owned.
I did not know Pizza Cutter switched owners, that explains a few things.
Dave
8:33 pm on Friday, November 4, 2011
Dave D, I agree, but strangly the lure to Crocker Park is not for us. Not having been there enought to make a good judgment, I won't say more than its not for us. Our familys preference is to places like Joe's Deli on Hilliard in Rocky River. That or Athena's here in Avon Lake. Good places both, But Joe's gets the nod on food quality. Wishing that something would go into Tops building some day, (not food) and not be a national chain.... But your points are good, Avon Lake is a great place to live, and now you make me stop and think on the issues of local buisnesses. Another big loss was Angelo's pizza in the Giant Eagle plaza, they had GOOD pizza.