| *** New neighborhood tavern opens in Kettering Credit: Natalie Jones One of the owners of the new Mort’s East, a neighborhood tavern in Kettering, says they want to see the space packed like it used to be when it was Murray’s. Mort’s East offers a full bar with food such as applewood smoked wings, burgers, sandwiches, pizza and salads. It is located at 2866 S. Dixie Drive in the former space of the Buckin’ Donkey. Prior to that, it was the home of 937 Grill & Tap Room, Murray’s Pub & Grub and Murray’s Place. Aaron Delidow and Bob Hochwalt, longtime friends and business partners, have owned the building for eight years. “This restaurant has been here the whole time we’ve owned it,” Hochwalt said. “When the previous owner of the bar closed down in April, May timeframe, we came in and realized there was a lot of maintenance that needed to be done.” They spent several months redoing the infrastructure of the tavern and during that time, they met people from the neighborhood with hopes that it would reopen. Mort’s East officially opened its doors in July, but the owners have been taking it slow to make sure there was quality and consistency coming out of the kitchen. The tavern is open 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday with the kitchen closing at 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday. It’s also open Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight with the kitchen closing at 9 p.m. PHOTOS: A look inside Mort’s East on South Dixie in Kettering What’s happening with Frisch’s Big Boy? Credit: Marshall Gorby For the second time in six months, the Frisch’s Big Boy restaurant chain is in the middle of a major downsizing, with eviction filings that could force the closure of a dozen Southwest Ohio locations. The latest closures include 1831 N. Bechtle Ave. in Springfield, 3560 S. Dixie Highway in Middletown and 1330 Columbus Ave. in Lebanon. The company has blamed “unforeseen circumstances and various other factors.” Our content partner WCPO reports that some say these problems were the predictable result of a sale-leaseback transaction that followed the company’s 2015 purchase by an Atlanta-based private equity firm. NRD Capital paid $175 million for the publicly traded company that established Frisch’s Restaurants Inc. in 1939. Four months after that sale, a Florida-based company paid $47 million for 74 of the company’s 121 stores. That company, now known as NNN REIT LP, is trying to evict Frisch’s from at least 12 of its Greater Cincinnati locations. “There are plenty of examples of companies who went into this type of real estate strategy with good intentions and it just didn’t work out,” said Carl Goertemoeller, executive director of the University of Cincinnati’s Real Estate Center. “I hope that’s not the case with Frisch’s but we’ve seen this movie before.” The I-Team at WCPO spoke to several other experts in retail and commercial real estate that pointed to industry trends, including a recent string of casual-dining restaurant closures at Denny’s, Applebees, Outback Steakhouse and TGI Friday’s. They also cite damage caused by the pandemic, which shut down restaurants for months in 2020 and caused food inflation and labor shortages after that. These experts also said Frisch’s 2015 sale-leaseback deal made it harder for the company to recover from those problems. READ MORE: Frisch’s Big Boy history in Dayton dates back to the 1950s Quick Bites 🍔 Narco Burger opens in Riverside: The fast-casual, carryout restaurant was inspired by the hole in the late night food options for burgers. READ MORE ☕ 7 Brew opens in Beavercreek: The drive-thru coffee shop is handing out free small drinks 7 to 8 a.m., noon to 1 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. through Friday. A swag day is planned for Saturday where those that purchase a large drink will receive a free shirt. 🍷 New bookstore with wine bar to open in Oakwood: Swoon Books & Wine will focus on romance books and offer wines by the glass as well as classic cocktails like martinis and spritz at 2504 Far Hills Ave. 🎃 It’s time for tricks and treats: Here is our list of beggars’ night times for the region. Bellbrook Chocolates celebrates 40 years with second generation at reins Credit: Natalie Jones Eighty-five-year-old Betty Blose, the founder of Bellbrook Chocolate Shoppe, recalled the first time she attempted to make chocolate. “I tried to make Easter candy one year with a friend and it was awful. I soon lost interest, but in the cabinet I had the basic ingredients,” Blose said. “I knew I could make a good piece of chocolate.” Her late-husband, Byron, was working in the insurance business and one of his coworkers had opened a gift shop in Bellbrook. The owner of the gift shop was looking to sell maple cream candy during the Sugar Maple Festival, so Blose helped her out. The maple cream candy was well received and when Easter came around the next year, Blose had several requests. “That’s when I said to my husband, if I make dark, they’re going to want light. If I make light, they’re going to want dark,” Blose said. “It was his idea to combine and keep mixing until we came up with one.” Forty years later, Bellbrook Chocolates is using the same signature blend of light and dark chocolates that makes the shop stand out today. Bellbrook Chocolates is celebrating its anniversary with an open house from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 4 at 101 E. Alex Bell Road, Suite 144, in Centerville’s Cross Pointe Center. Customers are encouraged to stop by the shop and share their favorite memories. The chocolate shop has created a special anniversary box featuring the eight original pieces of chocolate, which includes four creams (buttercream, peanut butter, chocolate and maple), two caramels (plain and pecan) and two fudges (chocolate and peanut butter). WATCH: An inside look at how Bellbrook Chocolates makes buttercreams Looking for something to do this weekend? Credit: Tom Gilliam First Friday activities in downtown Dayton will kick off the holiday shopping season. You can expect special events and discounts from 5 to 10 p.m. at this monthly art hop organized by the Downtown Dayton Partnership. During the festivities, Warped Wing Brewing Company, 26 Wyandot St., will be releasing the new Pilot Series Taddy Porter, a smooth and approachable medium-bodied brew with a roasted, chocolate aroma. The brewery will also showcase the Smokin’ Cowboy Smash Burger featuring two patties topped with house-made chili, bacon, gouda cheese and caramelized onions on a potato brioche bun. If you’re looking for a glass of wine, Winans Coffee & Chocolates,221 N. Patterson Blvd., will feature $7 glasses of wine from 4 to 7 p.m. The Yellow Cab Tavern, 700 E. Fourth St., is the perfect place to finish the night with live music featuring performances from Cellar Dwellar, Abertooth Lincoln, Crossing the Rubicon and Dreadful Rumo. The shows will begin at 9 p.m. and the cover charge is $9. READ MORE: Here are 9 other things to do in the Dayton region this weekend Tell Us Thank you so much for reading my weekly newsletter! If you see a new restaurant opening or are wondering when an establishment is expected to open, feel free to email me here, and I’ll check it out. Remember to follow Dayton Daily News on Facebook or search our Food & Dining section for the latest stories. I’ll have continuous updates on my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages. | 