When a business closes -- particularly a local one -- it's not difficult to be a touch melancholy. When a enterprise with the history of Michael's Restaurant of Worthington shuts its doors, however, one can be forgiven for waxing sentimental.
After all, Michael's Restaurant -- which closed last Tuesday after owner George Coutsougeras decided business was too slow to press on -- wasn't exactly a fly-by-night operation. Opened as Mike Spaghetti's House in May 1949, Michael's was family owned for more than 50 years while making a name for itself in the Midwest as a top-quality eatery. Many longtime residents remember Michael's as a place frequented by locals and out-of-towners alike -- at a time when enjoying a meal was a vastly different experience than today.
The closure of Michael's -- Coutsougeras says he plans to put the restaurant up for sale -- isn't just sad because of its longevity. Restaurants such as Michael's are dwindling in numbers across the country, as nationally owned dining establishments spring up across America in the same style buildings, offering the same food from location to location. This is to by no means begrudge these businesses; many offer fine dining, and it can be of great comfort for travelers when they can go almost anywhere and find a restaurant they've eaten at before, even if they've never been to that community. But to walk into a Michael's -- well, that's just a much more unique experience.
So long ... and thanks for the onion rings.
