The Shrewsbury businessman wants to revive the fading Ground Round restaurant

by Junna Base November 10, 2024

SHREWSBURY – A Shrewsbury businessman wants to revive Ground Round, the fading restaurant chain that appealed to families with its tolerance for messy eaters.

Apparently floors covered in peanut shells and popcorn were part of the decor.

Joseph Shea, owner of Pure Source Water Systems in Shrewsbury, has drawn up plans to convert the former Bauhinia restaurant on Route 9 into Ground Round. A temporary sign announcing “The Ground Round Coming Soon” has sparked speculation and memories.

Shrewsbury, like many other communities, was home to a Ground Round for many years – at Route 9 and Harrington Avenue, a neighbor of Spag’s. The spot is now filled by a Walgreens.

The Shrewsbury Ground Round, run for years by restaurateur Bob Bonin, finally closed in 2004 after 20 years. The Ground Round chain once numbered more than 200 locations. All but a handful closed long ago. There are three in North Dakota

According to Shea, he acquired the trademarks and owns the Ground Round brand. He has a lease with the owner of 271 Grafton St., until recently the home of Bauhinia.

“Those who love Ground Round remember it as the place where they gathered for family meals, and we hope it becomes a staple again,” Shea said in an email to Telegram & Gazette. “We are making this a gathering place before or after events, practices, games, gatherings and work. When you walk in you feel at home and see familiar, smiling faces.”

Shea said the menu will feature some of the dishes from the original Ground Round. He notes that a staple, ice cream in miniature baseball caps, will be among the offerings.

In August, Shea received the green light from the city to transfer Bauhinia’s liquor license to Ground Round. The opening of the new restaurant is planned for the coming months.

He said he expects the restaurant to be a destination for family and group gatherings.

Part of the appeal of the original Ground Round was its child-friendly themes, with clowns and movies being part of the experience. Peanuts and popcorn were popular appetizers, with the ground an acceptable place for waste.

Ground Round was founded in 1969 by the Howard Johnson’s chain. The original location of Shrewsbury Ground Round was once home to a Howard Johnson’s, an establishment that counted John F. Kennedy among its customers. There was also a ground round on Lincoln Street in Worcester.

Bauhinia Restaurant, in the former home of Golden’s Pizza and Steakhouse, recently closed permanently.

“After serving our community for 19 years, it is time for us to retire and with that we have made the difficult decision to close our doors on November 5, 2024,” the website reads from Bauhinia.

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