During the holidays, several Greater Cincinnati food businesses announced they would be closing their doors permanently. Here are three closings you may have missed:
Proud Rooster
Clifton’s beloved “Chicken Man” Bob Doll, owner of Proud Rooster on Ludlow Avenue, retired at the beginning of this year at the age of 81. Doll had run the diner for over 50 years, opening it after serving in the U.S. Army.
A sign posted on the restaurant’s door reads: “CLOSED. Chicken Man is retiring. Thank you for over 50 years of serving you!”
Doll’s son, Rob Doll, confirmed the closure on Facebook, writing, “As many of you may have heard Dad is finally going to retire! The Chicken man Proud Rooster is closing its doors. For over 50 years he has served the Clifton area. Serving wonderful breakfast and some amazing fried chicken. He has made many new friends that became family and came across many wonderful people that treated him like family. His love for caring for people came across in his gift of feeding people.”
Catch-a-Fire Pizza (Lebanon, Blue Ash and College Hill)
In a social media post, Catch-a-Fire Pizza owners Jeff and Melissa Ledford announced they had decided to close all three of their full-service pizzerias located in Lebanon, Blue Ash and College Hill on Jan. 1.
The Ledfords did not offer a reason for the closure, but wrote, “We thank you for your support over the years and we are very grateful for the good times and happy memories.”
The Catch-a-Fire Pizza location inside West Side Brewing in Westwood will remain open.
Holtman’s Donuts (West Chester)
At the end of December, Danny and Katie Plazarin, the husband-and-wife team who once owned two of Holtman’s Donuts’ locations, announced they would be closing their last store in West Chester. The couple shut down their Oakley location in July.
“…this decision comes down to priorities. We’re raising young kids, and we want to be more present with them and less weighed down by the constant stress that comes with business ownership today. The landscape has changed a lot since pre-COVID. Ingredient costs have risen sharply, the economy is challenging, and continuing to push through no longer feels like the right choice for our family,” the Plazarins shared in a social media post.
The Holtman’s Donuts locations in Loveland and Williamsburg are owned by Danny’s parents, Toni and Chuck Plazarin, and will remain open.
“We are incredibly grateful for our West Chester team and the customers who supported this location. This community showed up for us in ways we won’t forget,” the Plazarins continued. If there’s one thing we hope people take from this, it’s a reminder to support your favorite local businesses whenever you can. Many are navigating difficult conditions behind the scenes. Thank you for the kindness, understanding, and support you’ve shown us.”
Holtman’s Donuts’ last day in business was Dec. 31.
