Kelsey Boeing | PHOTO EDITOR
Lotsa Stone-Fired Pizza
Lotsa opened for business in Athens around two years ago, and while it did well during the school year, it was unable to sustain its profit margins over the summer. Its cheap personal pizzas were a great option if you weren’t feeling up to going to a dining hall, and they often had free pizza coupons specifically for freshmen. It was a great way to get people aware of their pizza and get people through the door, but unfortunately, there aren’t many freshmen on campus in the summer. Lotsa is a small chain that has locations mainly in college towns, so their market was saturated with college students.
Franco's
R.I.P. the best New York Pizza in Athens. Franco’s late hours provided a great place to sit down and recoup after a night out, and its grinder sandwiches were truly something amazing. There hasn’t been an official reason released for why they closed, but it’s safe to assume that like Lotsa, it couldn’t sustain business over the summer with the lack of Ohio University students present.
Lady B's
This fried chicken fast food joint didn’t last long. Open for only six months, it closed before the end of the second semester last school year. Its food was all right, but it didn’t reach the standards of most local places and didn’t really fit in or become anyone’s “go-to” place. Lady B’s just never caught on in Athens like its parent company, OMG Rotisserie!, did in that same location. There were also some management issues that seem to also have led to Lady B’s closing.
The Replacements
After Lady B’s short run, D.P. Dough, a calzone delivery restaurant, will use the Court Street space to open its second Athens location. Its other location is on Richland Avenue, about 1 mile from campus. This new close-to-campus location will give students the opportunity to walk to their calzones and will hopefully result in faster delivery times.
As for Lotsa and Franco’s, it is unknown what will become of these Court Street locations. While a lot of students are hopeful for their fast food favorites like Taco Bell or Chick-Fil-A to move in uptown, local businesses with Athens charm would benefit the community more. The quintessence of Court Street is seeing businesses and eateries that are unique to Athens. Sure, Starbucks is fine, but you can get Starbucks anywhere in America. Places like Donkey Coffee and Brenen’s are options that you can only find in Athens. Wendy’s is awesome, but instead of spending four years of late nights on four-for-$4s, consider eating at a local place like Bagel Street Deli or Union Street Diner that won’t be at your fingertips after you graduate.
When small businesses in Athens close and chains re-open in their place, the essence of Athens dwindles. As OU students and members of the Athens community, the small businesses of this special town are relying on us to patronize them. It’s up to us to keep them up and running and keep the spirit of Uptown Athens alive and well.
Mikayla Rochelle is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those ofThe Post. What are your thoughts? Tell Mikayla by tweeting her at @mikayla_roch.