Ground Round return to Massachusetts; the owners want to make it a “local destination”

The Ground Round, a well-known family restaurant, will return to Massachusetts early next year.

Joe and Nachi Shea are the new co-owners of the rights to Ground Round, a once-popular channel that started in the Bay State in the late '60s.

The couple aims to launch the Ground Round in January, Joe Shea said. RENARD Company in an interview. It will be located in Shrewsbury.

Shrewsbury is located northeast of Worcester. The city is home to more than 38,000 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Their plans to revive the Round on the ground have already been reported by local media.

Shea said many people missed the restaurant's brand — and that inspired him and his wife to bring it back to the area.

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“People were talking about it, that they missed it, that it was a great place, and when enough people said it, I said, 'Enough people are talking about it, why can't it happen?' I always thought that going back years and years, with the number of people talking about it, that it would just be a good idea that would be welcomed. And I think that's proving to be true, so we are. really excited,” he told FOX Business.

Their opportunity to become an owner of Ground Round's intellectual properties arose after the CFO of the former ownership group contacted them last year, according to Shea. Before that, he said they had been looking to become franchises for years but “could never get any answers.”

Now, as they prepare to launch the Ground Round, Shea said they will “bring back some of the food products that people really liked,” like burgers, ribs, sundaes in plastic baseball caps, fried dough triangles, and unlimited popcorn.

A look at the exterior of the upcoming Ground Round location. (Joe Shea)

He and his wife also studied a form of the old Ground Round “pay what you weigh” agreement. He said they were considering something “optional” and “on the side,” but also noted that they “haven't really figured out exactly what they want to do.”

The restaurant's decor will have both traditional and modern aspects, Shea said.

“We're looking to mix in some parts of the past, whether it's decorative photos, things that remind people of it, maybe stained glass lamps and fixtures, etc.,” he added. “But it's 2024, we're going to 2025, so we can't make it look exactly the same as it did 25 or 30 years ago. There will also be more modern aspects, obviously, with the way things are decorated and the general appearance.”

It is found where a long-standing local restaurant was located which closed in early November, according to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

They embarked on the renovations after taking over the lease, and the process is progressing “rather well”, according to the co-owner.

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“The tiling and bathroom renovation are all finished. The bars, I would say, are 90% complete. The painting is 99% complete. Then there will be the kitchen fit-out,” a- he declared.

A look inside the Ground Round that the Sheas plan to open during its renovations. (Joe Shea)

When Ground Round opens, Shea said they're looking to make it a “local destination and not this cookie-cutter place that the big chains are.”

The couple currently has no plans to open any more Ground Rounds, according to Shea.

“We focus on the food, making sure it’s prepared well,” he said. “And then, you know, if it makes sense in the future, we'll look at it. But right now, we don't have any plans to expand.”

The Sheas have high hopes for the Ground Round.

“The most important thing is that it's this place where everyone has been, where you don't really have to think about where to go. You went to the Ground Round,” Shea told FOX Business. “You know the food would always be solid and sturdy. The atmosphere was fun, whether you were an adult, a kid, or had a family, there was something for everyone.”

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“That's what we'd like to do. It's that warm, welcoming place that you always feel welcome in. You walk in and you feel at home,” he said.

Ground Round had over 200 locations at one point and has been under different owners throughout the brand's history. He went bankrupt in the early 2000s, then its footprint was reduced over the years to just a few restaurants, the The Boston Globe reported.

The Sheas' restaurant will mark the first Ground Round in Shrewsbury in about two decades, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.