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Spaghetti Warehouse facts for kids

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Spaghetti Warehouse
Private
Founded Dallas, Texas (1972; 53 years ago (1972))
Headquarters
United States
Number of locations
 5 locations, 1 to-go only
Subsidiaries Frandeli, Inc.
Spaghetti Warehouse (4611478511)
The outside of the Toledo restaurant

Spaghetti Warehouse is a fun Italian restaurant chain perfect for families. It has five restaurants in Ohio and New York, plus a special 'to-go' spot in Texas. The first restaurant opened in Dallas, Texas, in 1972. Over time, it grew and had many locations across the southern and eastern United States.

A cool thing about these restaurants is that each one has an old-fashioned trolley car right inside! You can even sit and eat your meal inside the trolley. Many of the older Spaghetti Warehouse restaurants are in really old, historic buildings that have been beautifully fixed up. The Columbus, Ohio, location, which opened in 1978, used to be the biggest. It could seat about 800 people!

In 1998, a company called Consolidated Restaurant Cos. bought Spaghetti Warehouse. Later, in 2007, an investment company named Frandeli, Inc. bought the chain. Another restaurant called The Old Spaghetti Factory, which started in 1969, has a very similar style. Spaghetti Warehouse also owns Warehouse 72 in Houston, Texas.

Fun Facts About Locations

Dallas, Texas (Closed)

The very first Spaghetti Warehouse opened in Dallas, Texas, in 1972. The building itself was built way back in 1891! It used to be a pillow factory. Inside, it had cool old items like brass bed frames and an old confessional booth. There was even a special booth made from a bed that belonged to Stephen F. Austin, a famous Texas pioneer. An original Dallas trolley car was also in the main dining room.

This original location closed in October 2019 after 47 years. Some of its unique items, like the confessional and Stephen F. Austin's bed, were moved to another location. Other small decorations were sold online.

Austin, Texas (Closed)

Spaghetti Warehouse (4074732963)
Spaghetti and meatballs, a classic dish

The Austin location was the third Spaghetti Warehouse to open, in 1975. The building was built in 1902 and used to be a grocery warehouse. During a time called Prohibition, it was even a secret club! This restaurant had two fancy chandeliers from New York City's Penn Station. It also had the original box office from Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Like the Dallas location, it had an old Dallas trolley car inside. The Austin restaurant closed on April 23, 2011, because of problems with the building.

Columbus, Ohio (New Location)

The Columbus location was the first Spaghetti Warehouse outside of Texas. It opened in April 1978 in an old ice house built in 1891. It was the biggest restaurant in the company, with seven dining rooms and space for up to 800 people. It was a famous spot in Columbus.

Besides the trolley car, this location had two confessional booths from churches in New England. It also had a 1920s German elevator where people could sit for dinner! The original steam engine that kept the building cold when it was an ice house was still in the lobby. Another cool item was the head of a moose hunted by former President Theodore Roosevelt.

On March 18, 2022, part of the roof of the 3-story Columbus building collapsed. No one was hurt, but the building had to close because it was unsafe.

In April 2023, the company announced that the Columbus restaurant would reopen in a new, smaller spot. This new location, which opened in Fall 2023, is in a luxury apartment building downtown. It can seat about 200 people. The famous trolley car was moved to the new space, keeping a favorite part of the old restaurant.

Akron, Ohio

The Akron location opened in 1992. It is in an old warehouse that belonged to the B.F. Goodrich Company, a famous tire company. This building was built in the 1870s. The Akron restaurant has a huge 20-foot chandelier that used to be in the Dunes Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Inside, you can see signs from old rubber tire companies that were once in Akron. There are also old arcade games and antiques. Diners can sit in an old hotel elevator or an old Akron street trolley car. Even though it's not one of the very first Spaghetti Warehouse buildings, it's still in a historic area.

Memphis, Tennessee (Closed)

The Memphis location was in a typical old warehouse. It had an original trolley car that was used for transportation in downtown Memphis. It also had doors and lights from the old Memphis Union Station, a train station that was torn down in 1968. When Elvis Presley came back from the Army in 1960, many fans greeted him at Memphis Union Station. This restaurant closed in mid-November 2017 after 30 years.

Houston, Texas (Closed)

The Houston location was the company's second restaurant and the second largest after Columbus. It opened in 1973 in Downtown Houston. Like the Dallas location, it had two floors for dining. During lunch, guests could sit in a trolley car for their meal.

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey caused a lot of damage to the restaurant, and it had to close. It reopened in August 2019 as Warehouse 72/Butcher's Plates & Pizza. Even though it's not officially a Spaghetti Warehouse anymore, the company still offers some of its popular 'to-go' menu items from this spot.

Ybor City, Tampa, Florida (Closed)

The Tampa restaurant was in an old tobacco storage warehouse in the historic Ybor City neighborhood. This building was built in 1886 and was once the biggest cigar factory in the world! The restaurant had original brick walls and floors. A replica of an Ybor City street car was inside the main dining room. This location closed in October 2016.

Little Rock, Arkansas (Closed)

The Little Rock location opened in October 1990 in an old train station building from 1901. This building had been empty since 1968. The renovation for this Spaghetti Warehouse was the most expensive the company had done at the time. Part of the dining area included a 1924 Pullman train car. This location closed on February 4, 1996. The old train station building is now part of the Clinton Presidential Center.

Norfolk, Virginia (Closed)

The Norfolk location opened in 1991 and closed in 2001. It was in the Southern Bagging Company building, which is now listed as a historic place.

Tulsa, Oklahoma (Closed)

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

Syracuse, New York

The Syracuse location opened in 1989 in an old factory building from 1909. This building was used for making piano parts, then pocketbooks, and later as a bakery warehouse before becoming a Spaghetti Warehouse.

Where to Find Spaghetti Warehouse

Current Locations

Spaghetti Warehouse (4074741509)
Inside the Toledo location, showing the trolley car

Current To-Go Only Locations

Past Locations

See Also

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