2 former Springfield restaurant sites sold; one could become marijuana shop

Owners seek city’s OK to modify White Castle building on Bechtle into a dispensary; no plans filed yet for Roosters
The former White Castle restaurant on North Bechtle Avenue Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

The former White Castle restaurant on North Bechtle Avenue Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Two Clark County properties where now-closed restaurants sit have been sold to separate buyers.

The former White Castle located at 1901 N. Bechtle Ave. and the former Roosters located at 1720 N. Bechtle Ave. were both sold in recent months for over $1 million each.

The White Castle property was sold to 1901 Springfield LLC on Jan. 3 for $1.6 million, according to property records.

The new owners filed an application last week with the city of Springfield to renovate and add to the existing building. The application says the site would be turned into a Green Leaf Therapy “dual use marijuana dispensary.”

The document calls for interior demolition work and renovation of the existing space, plus construction of a new addition on the back of the structure for a required vault.

The property was originally sold to White Castle System Inc. in 2011 for $270,000.

White Castle permanently closed in February 2023 after it was damaged by a fire in November 2022.

The former Roosters restaurant on North Bechtle Avenue Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

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Credit: Bill Lackey

The Roosters property was sold to CLS Springfield LLC in December 2024 for $1.3 million, according to property records.

No applications or records for that location have been filed with the city of Springfield, according to city officials.

We Be Wings Springfield LLC had bought the former Fridays location in 2012 for $1.1 million.

Roosters closed in July 2024 after being open for 11 years. A note was taped to the door, the restaurant had been removed from the Roosters website, and a phone message outlined the closing.

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closure of this Roosters Springfield location,” a Roosters statement from franchisee We Be Wings LLC said at the time. “We want to express our gratitude to the community for their continued support and patronage.”

Bob and Corinne Frick, owners of the original Roosters, opened the restaurant in 1988 in Dayton. The concept of the Roosters was expanded by Dan Ponton in 1991. There are now a total of 43 Roosters Wings locations in the U.S.

The News-Sun attempted to contact the agents listed for both properties and did not receive a response.

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