Massachusetts Is Getting a Ground Round Once Again

During the mid-1970s, there was a fun spot on the New Bedford side of the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge called Myrtle's Turtle. "The Turtle" was a restaurant by day with burgers and such, but at night there was entertainment.

I first heard Couto & Mulligan at Myrtle's Turtle. Mike Couto and Bill Mulligan would become one of the region's top-drawing acts for years at a time when live entertainment venues were seemingly on every street corner.

I'm getting older, so dates get fuzzy, but at some point Myrtle's Turtle became The Ground Round.

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The Ground Round Grill & Bar was founded in 1969 in Massachusetts by Howard Johnson's. The Ground Round was an American casual dining restaurant chain, often referred to as a pub.

Peanuts and popcorn were customer favorites at The Ground Round. You were encouraged to toss spent peanut shells on the floor. It added to the casual atmosphere.

I can't imagine how that would work with today's much stricter fire codes.

The Ground Round chain, which had hundreds of locations throughout the country, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2004. Most Ground Round locations, including all Massachusetts restaurants, closed.

A group of franchise owners based in Freeport, Maine bought the chain, with 71 remaining locations, out of bankruptcy.

As of 2024, four restaurants are left, all in the Midwest.

But wait, CBS News Boston confirms that "The rumors are true: The Ground Round is returning to Massachusetts" in January.

The station reports, "An old Chinese restaurant, off Route 9 in Shrewsbury, is currently undergoing renovations to take customers back in time to one of Massachusetts' most beloved restaurants but with a modern twist."

Shrewsbury's Joe and Nachi Shea have purchased the "rights and trademarks" to The Ground Round and are bringing the company "home to Massachusetts."

There are no announced plans to expand The Ground Round beyond Shrewsbury but if that changes, we'll let you know.