Maid-Rite is a popular fast food restaurant chain known for its loose meat sandwiches. The original Maid-Rite restaurant opened in Muscatine, Iowa in 1926. Since then, Maid-Rite has expanded across the Midwest with over 300 locations in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
One of those Maid-Rite locations is in Greenville, Ohio. Greenville is a city in Darke County, Ohio with a population of around 13,000 residents. As a smaller city in a rural part of western Ohio, Greenville was likely excited to welcome the popular Maid-Rite chain to their community.
Local news reports can often provide details on when new restaurants like Maid-Rite open in smaller towns and cities. Digging into archives of the local Greenville newspaper could reveal an announcement about the opening of the Greenville Maid-Rite location. The date of the opening would be noted in the article.
Without access to the local Greenville newspaper archives, finding the exact opening date of the Greenville Maid-Rite will require some additional research. We can look to other sources that may provide clues for when the restaurant opened.
Searching City Directories
One method is searching old Greenville city directories. City directories listed local businesses, organizations, and residents. They were published annually and can show when new businesses appeared in a city.
Finding city directories that cover Greenville during the years Maid-Rite expanded can help narrow down when the Greenville location likely opened. For example, if Maid-Rite is listed in the 1975 directory but not the 1974 directory, we can assume it opened sometime in 1975.
Major libraries often have collections of old city directories. The Dayton Metro Library has Cincinnati and Dayton city directories dating back to the 1800s. Greenville is over an hour from both of those major cities, but a library in the Greenville area may have past Greenville directories available.
A phone call to the Greenville Public Library could determine if they have city directories in their collection. An in-person visit would then make it possible to search the directories year by year for the first appearance of the Maid-Rite listing.
Company Records
Another option is directly contacting Maid-Rite to ask for opening dates of their restaurants. As a major company, Maid-Rite likely keeps thorough records on when all of their locations opened. The corporate office may be willing to look up the opening year for the Greenville restaurant.
The Maid-Rite website does not seem to provide any listing of locations and opening dates. But some searching finds that the company headquarters is located in Des Moines, Iowa. The about page lists a phone number and email address for media inquiries and public relations.
Contacting that department with questions about historical store openings may lead to an answer. At the very least, they could point us to someone at corporate who tracks that type of data. With over 300 locations over many decades, Maid-Rite has records on expansions to new cities like Greenville.
Local Historical Societies
As another option, a local historical society may have information on business openings in their area. This helps them maintain records on the history of the community.
Greenville has an active historical society – the Garst Museum. Their website states they maintain and exhibit collections related to Greenville history. Their research library also contains many documents, letters, directories, yearbooks and more.
Contacting the research librarian at the Garst Museum could uncover useful information on Maid-Rite’s opening. If the museum does not track business openings, they may at least have old city directories available to search. Historic groups like this are passionate about preserving local history and are often willing to help with research.
Newspaper Advertisements
Looking through old local newspapers can also provide clues on opening dates. Searching around the suspected year the Greenville Maid-Rite opened could find advertisements announcing the new restaurant.
Greenville likely had a daily newspaper in the 1970s when Maid-Rite came to town. The Public Library may have copies archived on microfilm that could be searched for ads. Even without an exact opening date, a “Grand Opening” advertisement would at least narrow down the timeframe.
Smaller weekly newspapers that served the surrounding county are another option. Rural residents would have been excited for a new Maid-Rite to open in the area. The Greenville restaurant may have taken out ads in weeklies covering nearby small towns. Checking Darke County papers from the suspected opening timeframe for a Maid-Rite advertisement is worth consideration.
Other Local Businesses
Searching for answers from other longtime Greenville businesses could also provide clues to Maid-Rite’s opening date. Restaurants and shops that existed in the 1970s may recall when the new Maid-Rite arrived in town.
Businesses near Maid-Rite’s location on Sweitzer Street are the best options. Owners and employees who have been there for decades may have institutional knowledge of the history of the neighborhood. Memory can be unreliable, but asking “When do you remember Maid-Rite opening?” may jog recollections.
The answer may be as simple as “it opened a couple years after we did in 1975”. Following up and checking with several nearby businesses can help corroborate dates and narrow down the timeframe.
Property Records
Finally, the county property records could contain information on when Maid-Rite took over their Greenville location. Records would show when the property transferred from the previous owner to Maid-Rite or a lease was signed.
The Darke County Auditor’s website allows searching property records by address. However, their online records only go back to 2007. To find ownership history in the 1970s, the recorder’s office could check microfilm and deed books. An in-person visit to research the Maid-Rite property’s history may yield the opening date.
Conclusion
While an exact opening date for the Greenville Maid-Rite remains elusive without primary sources like newspaper records, there are many avenues available to get closer to the answer. Local libraries, historical societies, businesses owners, and county offices may hold the key details to determine when in the 1970s the popular restaurant began serving the Greenville community.
With some diligent digging through city directories, newspaper advertisements, and property records, the opening year for the Greenville Maid-Rite can likely be narrowed down to just a few possible years. Contacting the Maid-Rite corporate office may also settle the question, if they have readily available data on store openings. Persistence and creativity in searching these diverse sources will eventually unveil the origin of this local restaurant.
Appendix
Table of Research Options
| Source | Information |
|---|---|
| Greenville newspaper archives | Likely has an article announcing opening date |
| Greenville city directories | Can pinpoint first year Maid-Rite is listed |
| Maid-Rite corporate office | May have records of all store openings |
| Garst Museum research library | May have city directories or other local business info |
| Greenville newspaper advertisements | Grand opening ads would give timeframe |
| Longtime nearby businesses | Owners may remember when Maid-Rite opened |
| Darke County property records | Could show when Maid-Rite took over building |