| Type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Columbus, Ohio |
| Key people | Todd Barnum and Barry Zacks (co-founders) |
| Parent | American Blue Ribbon Holdings |
Max & Erma's is a casual dining restaurant chain based in Columbus, Ohio. It operates throughout parts of the Eastern and Midwestern United States, and was founded in 1972 by Todd Barnum and Barry Zacks. The two businessmen purchased a local tavern in Columbus's German Village which had been operated by Max and Erma Visocnik since 1958. They retained the Max and Erma's name and created the theme restaurant which featured a converted bathtub that served as a sundae bar.[1] Max & Erma's was purchased by Pittsburgh-based equity investor G&R Acquisition Inc. in a $10.2 million deal in April 2008. [2]. The company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy on October 26, 2009 [3]. It was acquired by American Blue Ribbon Holdings, owners of the Village Inn and Bakers Square restaurant chains, in 2010.