Ponderosa set to close doors Sunday

By ALLIE KIRKMAN

The Commercial Review

The rumors are true: After 25 years of business, Ponderosa Steakhouse in Portland will be officially closing its doors Sunday. 

Owner Dave Hull said, “There are a lot of reasons” behind why the restaurant is closing.

When the business opened in 1992, Hull signed a 20-year franchise contract and a five-year extension. The contract ended this summer, and Hull had a decision to make. 

“I knew it was coming for a few years thinking, ‘What am I going to do?’” he said. 

Since Hull’s children were not interested in going into the restaurant business, he decided to try to sell the restaurant. 

About a year ago, he was approached by a prospective buyer. 

At that same time, another Ponderosa franchise owner from Michigan was interested in expanding and buying the Portland location. 

After two weeks, the potential buyer dropped out of the deal and Hull came to an agreement with another company to buy the property.  

Under new property ownership, a new building will be constructed where the current Ponderosa parking lot is and the restaurant building will be made smaller and remodeled with plans to be sold or leased, Hull said. 

Even though “everyone knew it was coming,” as word got out earlier this year of the restaurant potentially closing, Hull said it was still not easy having to tell his 35 employees that they would no longer have jobs at Ponderosa. 

“I was telling people, ‘Guys, I think it’s getting closer,’ but, it was still tough because I didn’t give them a lot of notice and I explained that I couldn’t give them a great deal of notice,” Hull said. “Those employees really feel like my family, so it wasn’t an easy conversation to have.”

But it hasn’t all been sad. 

After Hull posted the news on his Facebook page, hundreds of customers and employees started “reminiscing” and sharing memories they had in the restaurant. 

Jake Sutton, Muncie, who worked at Ponderosa for six years, was one of those former employees who shared his memories and thanked Hull. 

“This was my first real job. I started there a lowly little dish boy, but this place taught me hard work and the friends I made there will last a life time,” Sutton said. “It’s honestly sad to see it go, it was always there. Not just for me, but for the town.”

Hull said he never realized how much of an impact his restaurant had on the community and feels like it’s unique now, especially as the buffet industry is changing. 

“When we opened there were about 800 Ponderosas and Bonanzas open in the chain. Today there are only about 120 left,” Hull said. “The company is much smaller than it used to be. It’s just a different company.”

Hull said he is looking forward to continuing to work as a co-owner at Hull Brothers in Fort Recovery and being able to spend more time with his family. 

“Growing up, the kids missed me quite a bit. I was always at work,” Hull said. “I missed a lot of those things, so I am looking forward to having a little more of a normal life with them.”