Packo’s at the Park shuts down

After making a go of it for a year, Packo’s at the Park Event Center at 7 S. Superior St. in downtown Toledo has closed its doors.

The building it occupied has been put on the market by Duke Wheeler and Ryan Miller, senior vice presidents of the Reichle Klein Group.

The sale will close a chapter in the story of the Tony Packo’s restaurants that have served Toledoans since 1932. From its original home on Front Street in East Toledo, Tony Packo’s added locations in Sylvania, West Toledo, and Maumee. Packo’s at the Park — so named because of its proximity to Fifth Third Field — opened in March, 2006, four years after the ballpark.

In December, 2024, the company that owns the Packo’s chain announced that the Superior Street restaurant would cease daily lunch and dinner service but continue to operate as a full-time special event center. But after a year, it became clear that strategy wasn’t working.

“We ran events there through the end of last year and finally made the decision to sell the real estate,” said Jimmy Harmon, the CEO of Tony Packo’s and Bennett Management Corp.

Mr. Harmon said the closure of the location can ultimately be traced to the pandemic.

“A lot of people who used to come in for lunch aren’t downtown anymore,” he said. “The event center was profitable in September, but not in October. Also, a lot of our business transferred over to Front Street, so there’s really no reason to have both locations.”

The 7,200-square-foot building in Toledo’s Warehouse District was built in 1945 and last renovated in 2019. It includes a restaurant, a bar, and a commercial kitchen. The asking price is $1.45 million. A liquor license is available separately.

“I think a restaurant would be great there, but the space can be used for something else,” Mr. Harmon said.