Spaghetti Warehouse is an Italian restaurant chain geared towards families with five physical locations in two U.S. states: four in

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

, one in

New York (state) New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...

. They also operate a to-go only location in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. The chain started in 1972 in

Dallas, Texas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...

, and at one point had spread throughout the southern and eastern parts of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Each restaurant has a trolley car in the dining room and patrons are able to sit in the car. One of Spaghetti Warehouse's unique characteristics is that many of the older locations are in renovated, historic buildings. The former location in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

, which opened in 1978, was the largest both in seating capacity and in sales. The original Columbus location seated approximately 800 people. Spaghetti Warehouse, Inc., was acquired in 1998 by Consolidated Restaurant Cos. (a holding company of the private equity firm Cracken, Harkey & Co. L.L.C.). In June 2007, Consolidated Restaurants sold the chain to the Los Angeles–based investment firm Frandeli, Inc.

The Old Spaghetti Factory The Old Spaghetti Factory is an Italian-American-style chain restaurant in the United States and Canada. The U.S. restaurants are owned by OSF International, based in Portland, Oregon, while the Canadian restaurants are owned by The Old Spaghetti ...

, which started in 1969, has a very similar format; as does

Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

–based Warehouse 72 which is owned by Spaghetti Warehouse.

Locations

Dallas, Texas (closed)

The original location, in the West End of

, opened in 1972. The building was built in 1891 and served as a pillow factory for much of its history. The 3rd largest location in the chain, including two floors and private dining rooms, it was credited as the first restaurant-retail business in the neighborhood that spurred the rebirth of the West End area of Downtown Dallas in the 1970s and 80s. It was home to many former brass bed headboards, an old confessional, and the headboard and footboard of a bed that belonged to

Stephen F. Austin Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...

, which is now a booth that fits up to 8 people. An original East Dallas trolley car was in the main dining room. In October 2019, the location was shut down after 47 years. The confessional and Stephen F. Austin headboard were both confirmed to have been transferred to the Arlington location, which has subsequently closed, while small furnishings and select antiques were auctioned off online at the end of October 2019.

Austin, Texas (closed)

The Austin location was the third location in the chain's history. Opened in 1975, and built in 1902, it used to be a grocery warehouse, and during prohibition, was a brothel. Two chandeliers from New York City's Penn Station resided there as well as the original box office from Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Like its Dallas counterpart, it was also home to an original East Dallas trolley car. The Austin location closed on April 23, 2011, due to physical building issues.

Columbus, Ohio (Reopening Fall 2023 in New Location)

The Columbus location was the first Spaghetti Warehouse outside of Texas, and the fifth to open in the chain. It opened in April 1978 in an old ice house built in 1891. It is the largest in the company at 20,000 square feet and continually exceeds its counterparts in weekly sales. Located in the Franklinton area of Columbus, adjacent to its downtown district, it is a landmark in Columbus; many diners believe it to be the only location. In addition to the obligatory trolley car, it is home to two

confessional A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall in which the priest in some Christian churches sits to hear the confessions of penitents. It is the usual venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutheran Churches, but sim ...

s taken from churches in New England, as well as a 1920s German elevator in which patrons may sit for dinner. The original steam engine that kept the building cold when it was an ice house is still located in its lobby. Another artifact there is the head of a moose killed by former President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

, along with its certificate of authenticity. On March 18, 2022, the 3-story Spaghetti Warehouse building in Columbus was evacuated after a partial roof collapse. The Columbus fire chief reported that the main support of the building's roof, which he described as the roof joist, collapsed. No injuries were reported, but the building was closed as unsafe until an inspection could be performed and the structure repaired if possible. The building, which has seven dining rooms and seats up to 800 patrons, had been renovated as recently as 2021. On April 11, 2023, it was announced that they would be re-opening in a significantly smaller 200 seat location in a 6,000 square foot space on the first floor of the Highpoint on Columbus Commons luxury apartment building. This move, places the restaurant in the middle of the Downtown District within several blocks walking distance of the Ohio State House, the State Supreme Court, and multiple theaters, as well as numerous office and apartment buildings. This move was cited by the company as allowing them to modernize the dining experience, as well as the menu, while maintaining those aspects that long-time patrons valued most. In particular, the trolley car was confirmed as being integrated into the new space, but, as of April 11, no other feature of the original space has been confirmed to be transferring. The planned opening for the new location is said to be Fall 2023.

Akron, Ohio

The

Akron Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...

location opened in 1992 on the site of a former B.F. Goodrich Company warehouse, adjacent to the former B.F. Goodrich Corporation Headquarters and tire plant which closed in 1988. The building was originally built in the 1870s as a warehouse for B.F. Goodrich tires. The Akron store features a 20-foot chandelier that once belonged to the

Dunes A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

Hotel & Casino in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...

. This location features several signs of former rubber tire companies ( B. F. Goodrich Corporation,

Firestone Tire and Rubber Company Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is a tire company founded by Harvey Firestone (1868–1938) in 1900 initially to supply solid rubber side-wire tires for fire apparatus, and later, pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled ...

General Tire and Rubber Company Continental Tire the Americas, LLC, d.b.a. General Tire, is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles. Founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William Francis O'Neil, Winfred E. Fouse, Charles J. Jahant, Robert Iredell, & H.B. Pushee as ...

, and

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is an American multinational tire manufacturing company founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling and based in Akron, Ohio. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, S ...

) that once called Akron home, as well as old arcade games and antiques. Diners can sit in an old hotel elevator, and a former Akron street trolley car. Although it is not one of the original warehouse type stores from the 1970s and 1980s, it is in a historical building in a historical area adjacent to the former B.F. Goodrich Corporation Headquarters and tire plant.

Memphis, Tennessee (closed)

The Memphis location was inside a typical warehouse of the late 19th to early 20th century. It was decorated with an original trolley used for transportation in downtown Memphis, and with doors and light fixtures from

Memphis Union Station Memphis Union Station was a passenger terminal in Memphis, Tennessee. It served as a hub between railroads of the Southwest, the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, and railroads of the Southeast, the Louisville a ...

which had been abandoned and razed in 1968 to make way for a new post office. When

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

returned from the Army on March 7, 1960, he was greeted in Memphis Union Station by a crowd of several hundred fans. The station was located about southeast of the restaurant's current site. The restaurant closed in mid-November 2017 after 30 years of service.

Houston, Texas (closed)

The Houston location was the company's second location and the second largest, after Columbus, Ohio. It opened in 1973 in Downtown Houston. Like the Dallas location, it had two floors of dining. During lunch, guests were seated in a trolley structure for their meal. In late August 2017,

Hurricane Harvey Hurricane Harvey was a devastating Category 4 hurricane that made landfall on Texas and Louisiana in August 2017, causing catastrophic flooding and more than 100 deaths. It is tied with 2005's Hurricane Katrina as the costliest t ...

forced the restaurant to close as a result of water seeping through the top of the main floor, causing significant damage. It reopened in August 2019 as Warehouse 72/Butcher's Plates & Pizza, at the Marq*E Entertainment Center. While not officially a Spaghetti Warehouse anymore, the company still lists the location as providing to-go options from that menu due to customer enthusiasm. The former site became a McIntyre's bar upon renovation.

Ybor City, Tampa, Florida (closed)

The

Tampa Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...

store was located in the former tobacco storage warehouse of the

Ybor Factory Building The Ybor Factory Building is a historic site in Tampa, Florida, United States located at 1911 North 13th Street. The main factory and its surrounding support buildings cover an entire city block between 8th Avenue and 9th Avenues and 13th and 14th ...

in the historic neighborhood of

Ybor City Ybor City ( ) is a historic neighborhood just northeast of downtown Tampa, downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It was founded in the 1880s by Vicente Martinez-Ybor and other cigar manufacturers and populated by thousands of immigrants, mainly ...

. The building was constructed in 1886 and was the largest cigar factory in the world at the time. The walls and floors of the restaurant consisted mainly of original exposed brick, and a replica of an Ybor City street car was located inside the main dining room. On March 4, 2016, it was announced this location would be closing. However, five days later the parent brand, BLD Brands, stated the location would remain open for another full year while another location is scouted. By October 2 the restaurant was out of business as efforts to save the building and relocate it were moot.

Little Rock, Arkansas (closed)

The Little Rock location opened on October 14, 1990, housed in the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway passenger station. This historic building had opened in 1901 as the

Choctaw Route The Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad (CO&G), known informally as the "Choctaw Route," was an American railroad in the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma. The company, originally known as the Choctaw Coal and Railway Company, completed its main li ...

station, but had been vacant since 1968, after being purchased by the preservation minded owners of the

Arkansas Gazette The ''Arkansas Gazette'' was a newspaper in Little Rock, Arkansas, that was published from 1819 to 1991. It was known as the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi River. It was located from 1908 until its closing at the now historic Gazette ...

. At the time this Spaghetti Warehouse location opened, it was reported to be the company's most expensive renovation to date, and part of the dining area also include a 1924 Pullman car, originally named Mt. Sheridan, which had been used by the

Cotton Belt Railroad The St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company , known by its nickname of "The Cotton Belt Route" or simply "Cotton Belt", is a former Class I railroad that operated between St. Louis, Missouri, and various points in the U.S. states of Arkansas, Ten ...

. Spaghetti Warehouse also acquired a neighboring antebellum mansion, the Alexander George house, which had previously served as a division headquarters for Rock Island. For four years, Spaghetti Warehouse worked with local preservationists in an effort to save this structure, which was finally razed in 1994, having been deemed by engineers to be too dangerous. The slow pace of downtown Little Rock redevelopment doomed the restaurant, and this location was closed on February 4, 1996. The former passenger station building is today part of the

Clinton Presidential Center The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum is the Presidential library system, presidential library of Bill Clinton, the List of presidents of the United States, 42nd president of the United States (1993–2001). It is located in L ...

Norfolk, Virginia (closed)

The

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

location opened in 1991 and closed in 2001. It was housed in the Southern Bagging Company building, listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2007.

Tulsa, Oklahoma (closed)

The Tulsa location opened in the historic Brady Arts District in 1992 and closed in late March 2017.

Syracuse, New York

The Syracuse location opened in 1989 in a factory building that was originally built by L.B. Doman in 1909 for his Amphion Piano Player Company (moving it from

Elbridge, New York Elbridge is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town was approximately 5,922. The town is named after Elbridge Gerry, the fifth Vice President of the United States, and one of th ...

). The building was later used as a pocketbook factory (Julius Resnick, Inc.) and then as a bakery warehouse before being acquired by the restaurant chain.

Current locations

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County, Ohio, Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 C ...

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is the sixth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County. A small part of the city extends into Greene County. The 2020 U.S. census estimate put the city population at 137,644, while Greater Day ...

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Lucas County, Ohio, United States. A major Midwestern United States port city, Toledo is the fourth-most populous city in the state of Ohio, after Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and according ...

Current To-Go Only locations

, at Warehouse 72

Past locations

* Little Rock, Arkansas * Hartford, Connecticut *

Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale () is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and largest city in Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the 2020 census, making it the tenth ...

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...

* Marietta, Georgia *

Aurora, Illinois Aurora is a city in the Chicago metropolitan area located partially in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage, Kane County, Illinois, Kane, Kendall County, Illinois, Kendall, and Will County, Illinois, Will counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Locat ...

Elk Grove Village, Illinois Elk Grove Village is a village in Cook and DuPage counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. Per the 2020 census, the population was 32,812. Located northwest of Chicago along the Golden Corridor, the Village of Elk Grove Village was incorporat ...

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...

* Northampton, Massachusetts * Springfield, Massachusetts * Kansas City, Missouri *

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of the Niagara River, and is across the Canadian border from South ...

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a City (New York), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, the county seat, seat of Monroe County, New York, Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, ...

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

* Oklahoma City, Oklahoma *Tulsa, Oklahoma *Philadelphia, Pennsylvania * Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania * Providence, Rhode Island * Columbia, South Carolina * Greenville, South Carolina * Knoxville, Tennessee * Memphis, Tennessee * Abilene, Texas * Addison, Texas *

Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...

* Austin, Texas * Bedford, Texas * Corpus Christi, Texas * Dallas, Texas * Fort Worth, Texas * Irving, Texas * Mesquite, Texas * Plano, Texas *

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

* Stafford, Texas * Willowbrook, Texas *

Glen Allen, Virginia Glen Allen is a census-designated place (CDP) in Henrico County, Virginia, United States. The population was 16,187 as of the 2020 Census, up from 14,774 at the 2010 census. Areas outside the CDP which use a "Glen Allen" mailing address include r ...

Newport News, Virginia Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

Richmond, Virginia (Thus do we reach the stars) , image_map = , mapsize = 250 px , map_caption = Location within Virginia , pushpin_map = Virginia#USA , pushpin_label = Richmond , pushpin_m ...

Seattle, Washington Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...

References

External links

* {{official website, http://www.meatballs.com/
Warehouse 72 site

Consolidated Restaurant Operations
former operating company for CRC.
Current Spaghetti Warehouse Parent Company
Restaurants established in 1972 Italian-American cuisine Italian-American culture in Texas Italian restaurants Regional restaurant chains in the United States Restaurants in Dallas American companies established in 1972 1972 establishments in Texas