Spaghetti Warehouse is an Italian restaurant chain geared towards families with five physical locations in two U.S. states: four in Ohio, one in New York (state). They also operate a to-go only location in Texas. The chain started in 1972 in Dallas, Texas, and at one point had spread throughout the southern and eastern parts of the United States. 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, 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, which started in 1969, has a very similar format; as does Houston, Texas-based Warehouse 72 which is owned by Spaghetti Warehouse.
Locations
Dallas, Texas (closed)
The original location, in the West End of Dallas, Texas, 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, 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 confessionals 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, 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.