After 20 years after going bust, The Ground Round restaurant has reopened in Massachusetts.
The restaurant at 271 Grafton St. in Shrewsbury opened its doors to customers on Friday, according to co-owner Nachi Shea.
The “soft-opening” is a trial run for The Ground Round, she said. From now until April 30, Shea and her team will serve customers and get their feedback about the restaurant’s service and food.
So far, comments from customers have been overwhelmingly positive.
“All of our customers have been raving about the service,” she said. “The food feedback has been phenomenal as well. Obviously, a couple hiccups here and there with timing … with having so many people in the building at the same time, but they have been all-stars.”
The restaurant is part of a chain founded in 1969 that serves casual American cuisine.
By 2004, the company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to reporting from the Boston Business Journal.
There are only five The Ground Round restaurants left in the United States: one in Ohio, three in North Dakota and the newest one in Massachusetts.
A grand opening for the Shrewsbury restaurant will take place on April 30.
Menu items, magic shows and mascots
A third of the full menu is available during this trial run, according to Shea. The items offered at the restaurant include The Ground Round cheeseburger, a California turkey wrap and Shea’s favorite, the Ground Round Chicken Florentine.
In addition to food, the restaurant also features entertainment for families. Customers at tables can watch live magic shows, and children can say hello to the restaurant’s canine mascot, “The Ground Hound.”
Customers can also enjoy complimentary, freshly popped popcorn.
In the past, The Ground Round offered complimentary peanuts to customers. Many of the shells would end up covering the restaurant floor, which customers fondly recounted on Facebook.
History seems to have repeated itself at the new Ground Round, with popcorn now covering the restaurant floor, Shea said.
From fond memories to facing the future
Launching a new Ground Round was not an easy task for Shea and her husband Joseph.
The two had to persistently convince the company franchisees to open a new location. Shea previously told MassLive the company did not want to open a new location at all. After several attempts, a deal was made, making the Shea’s the sole owners of the Shrewsbury location.
Both Shea and her husband had fond memories of eating at the Ground Round before the company filed for bankruptcy. With the reopening of the Shrewsbury location, customers have high expectations for what Shea hopes to deliver.
The pressure is on, but Shea is game.
“We have found a team that is up for that challenge with us,” she said. “They are ready to deliver, and they are excited about it.”
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