John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips is alive and thriving in Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- What seemed like a distant memory buried in some long-gone America has become a popular pilgrimage this time of year.

They come for the milieu, even if most people would hardly associate a yellowish-green awning as a mood-setter. They come for the memories of going to such a place years ago, with their parents or grandparents. And they come for the fish – a crispy, succulent filet of Alaska pollock that makes the past travel full circle into the present.

Welcome to Arthur Treacher’s Fish & Chips -- a place that time forgot, but the people are increasingly coming to remember.

Text and photos (unless noted) by John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

A fast-food icon in the 1970s and '80s

The seafood chain, which started in Columbus in 1969, had 826 stores around the country during its peak in the 1970s. (Arthur Treachers)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Still strong in Northeast Ohio

Now, there are only three of the original old-style stores left – all in Northeast Ohio. The busiest is Garfield Heights – and not just because the Cleveland area offers a bigger market than Akron or Youngstown, the sites of the other locations.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

A Lenten destination

This has become a tourist destination for Arthur Treacher’s aficionados, especially during Lent.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Cult of Arthur Treacher's

“We had a line of people outside waiting for us to open on Ash Wednesday,” says owner Ben Vittoria, who stepped out from the kitchen area where he'd been working the fryers to attend to a number of customers that had just flooded the counter. "They came all the way from Toledo."

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Reliving memories

"It’s almost like a cult," says Vittoria. "They love the fish and also reliving their memories coming here with their parents or grandparents.”

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Still the same...

Little has changed since then at this location, from the décor to the fish recipe to the 1970s music playing over the speaker. Well, except for the lantern out front, seen here in a 2016 photo. It came down in during a vicious storm. It was destroyed and, unfortunately, couldn't be replaced... You can't find fixtures for a chain that has largely disappeared in America, except in Ohio.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

A tourist destination

"We used to sell gyros to diversify our business, because we weren't selling enough fish," says owner Ben Vittoria, referring to the Arthur Treacher's on Rockside Road in Garfield Heights. "But business took off and we were selling fish like crazy and got rid of the gyro area in the kitchen and added another fryer." Vittoria and store manager Robert Allen credit a 2016 Plain Dealer article for the turnaround. "It reminded people of this place they grew up with or had heard about and it started making the rounds on social media," adds Allen.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

King of the sea...

Arthur Treacher's onced reigned near the top of the fast-food-chain in America - especially during Lent, when its iconic Fish and Chips meal was a Friday staple. (The Plain Dealer)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

The rise of fast-food chains

The 1960s marked an era of fast growth for fast food, especially in Ohio - the home of chains such as Kenny Kings, Royal Castle , Beef Corral, Red Barn and Wendy's, whose founder Dave Thomas was an early investor in Arthur Treacher's.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

'English' brand with Cleveland connection

English-born, Cleveland-raised actor Bob Hope helped craft the image of the company, which got the fish and chips recipe from Malin's of Bow, of London. "Bob Hope suggested the company work with Arthur Treacher, who was an old English actor," says Vittoria. (WI Center for Film and Theater Research)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

'Like you were going to England'

In the old days, Arthur Treacher -- the actor that became the face of the company -- would show up at openings in a double-decker bus. "No one did anything like that, and it made Arthur Treacher's feel like a special night out, like you were going to England," says Ben Vittoria, the owner of the last three Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips in the Cleveland area. (Photo by and courtesy of Jim Smith)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Still going in Cuyahoga Falls

A circa-1970s photo of Arthur Treacher's in Cuyahoga Falls -- one of three seafood stores in the area. (Arthur's Treachers)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Still love those fish & chips dinners

"We've had people call from around the country to see if we do mail order," says Vittoria. "One guy from Oregon wanted me to mail him four dozen fish & chips dinners -- I wouldn't know how to even do that."

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Once the home of dozens of locations

Northeast Ohio was once home to dozens of Arthur Treacher's, including this location in Cedar and Lee roads in Cleveland Heights. (Special Collections, Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Press collection)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Three locations left - in Northeast Ohio

There are three of the original-style Arthur Treacher's left in America, all in Northeast Ohio. The Cleveland area location is at 12585 Rockside Road; Garfield Heights; 216-662-6067. There is also one at 1833 State Road in Cuyahoga Falls; 330-923-8900. There is also one in Niles: 2 Youngstown Warren Road; Pinetree Square; Niles, 330-505-2625.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

A quasi-religious devotion

The area developed a quasi-religious devotion to the chain - literally. "Entire congregations would come to Arthur Treacher's after church on a Friday," says Vittoria, who has been with the company since the 1970s. He also owns a franchise in Akron and in Cuyahoga Falls. There is a fourth location in Youngstown. (The Plain Dealer)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Changes in diets, fast-food

But increased competition resulting in the fast-food wars of the 1970s squeezed smaller players like Arthur Treacher's. There were also changes in religious dietary practices as people became less observant. (YouTube)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Golden years

Cups from the original heyday of Arthur Treacher's. (Arthur Treacher's)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

'England' via Cleveland

Bob Hope suggested the seafood restaurant align itself with English actor Arthur Treacher, whose movie career went back to the 1930s. Treacher would often show up at store openings in a double-decker bus. In the process, many customers believed that the Ohio company was actually from England. (The Plain Dealer)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Soccer, anyone?

A circa-1970s ad for Arthur Treacher's featuring British soccer players. While the chain was actually out of Ohio, many thought it was imported from across the ocean. (Arthur Treacher's)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Vintage Treacher's

A still from a vintage 1970s-era ad for Arthur Treacher's. (YouTube)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Royal Castle

The 1960s marked an era of fast growth for fast food, especially in Ohio - the home of chains such as Royal Castle. Over the next couple of decades, the "fast-food wars" claimed a number of players, including Royal Castle. (Special Collections, Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Press collection)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

The war over cod...

The fast-food wars of the 1970s claimed many, as large chains squeezed regional and smaller players. Across the pond, the "Cod Wars" between Britain and Iceland over fishing rights led to an almost doubling in the price of fish for Arthur Treacher's. (Arthur Treacher's)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Still flying the flag

By the end of the '70s, the company was sold and the menu changed and it went in bankruptcy a few years later. But Vittoria, seen here filling orders, kept on going. He has continued as a franchisee despite a number of restructurings that have left the fish and chips icon a shell of its former self.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Flashback to West 117th

The Arthur Treacher's on West 117th, in Lakewood, was one of many locations to close when the company experienced a downturn. (Special Collections, Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Press collection)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Loyal to the concept

"We still use the same recipe for the fish and our hush puppies," says Vittoria. "And our staff has been here with us and is very loyal," adds Allen. No doubt, Carmeron Maye and Christopher Jordan, have been working the fryers for 10 and three years, respectively. The longest-tenured kitchen staffer, Richard Kuznik, has been working here for 30 years.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Limited qualities

Talk about vintage? The cups used for soda pop at the Arthur Treacher's in Garfield Heights are straight out of the old stock. When they're gone, they're gone. The location also still boasts the face is the Englishman on the front door... and the recipe remains the same.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Memories...

Robert Allen has exhibited memorabilia around the Rockside Road Arthur Treacher's that recalls the company's heyday. "This is more than a restaurant to us," says Allen. "We're giving people a story, something they can remember."

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Arthur Treacher's through the years

Commemorative Cleveland Indians cups released by Arthur Treacher's in 1973. (Photo by John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer)

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A story...

"We're really devoted to the story," says Robert Allen, on the right, seen working the kitchen alongside longtime staffer Richard Kuznik.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Lord Burger, anyone?

The 1960s marked an era of fast growth for fast food, especially in Ohio - the home of chains such as Lord Burger. This 1975 photo shows lunchtime at Lord Burger, 839 Prospect Avenue, in Cleveland. (Special Collections, Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University, Cleveland Press collection)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Fish & chips & hot dogs

Outside Ohio, Arthur Treacher's is incorporated or co-branded with stores such as Nathan's Famous Hot Dog or Salvatore's Old Fashioned Pizzeria, which serve Arthur Treacher's as a part of the menu.

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

1975

As this 1975 ad indicates, there were 18 locations in the Cleveland area. (The Plain Dealer)

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1980

By the time this 1980 ad came out, there were 11 locations in the Cleveland area. (The Plain Dealer)

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Akron...

Only four operate exclusively as Arthur Treachers - all in Ohio, including this location on Waterloo Road in Akron. (Arthur Treacher's)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

A real guy...

Arthur Treacher, right, was an actual person -- an English actor known for movies and TV appearances with Merv Griffin. He also recorded an album with Griffin. (Photo by John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Arthur still at the door

You still find the face of Arthur Treacher himself on the door of the Garlield Heights restaurant that bears his name. Remember him? Not many do. After all, the English actor who lent his name to the chain got his start in 1930s and passed away decades ago. (Photo by John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer)

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Old-school...

An unidentified Arthur Treacher's from the old days. The seafood chain, which started in Columbus in 1969, had 826 stores around the country during its peak in the 1970s. (Arthur Treacher's)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Down the street, a trip across the pond

"In the old days, Arthur Treacher's was seen as a cut above other fast-food chains," says Ben Vittoria. "It was like you were going to England." (Arthur Treacher's)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Surviving tough times

By the end of the '70s, the company was sold and the menu changed and it went in bankruptcy a few year later, according to Vittoria, who has continued as a franchisee despite a number of restructurings that have left fish and chips icon a shell of its former self. (The Plain Dealer)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

$1.30

A 1970s ad -- imagine, $1.30. (The Plain Dealer)

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John Petkovic, The Plain Dealer

Still open

Arthur Treacher's enjoyed its heyday in the 1970s, but the fish and chips restaurant is still going -- thanks in large part to four remaining stores in Northeast Ohio.