Say it ain’t so: This LEGENDARY late-night Ohio eatery may close

We have a spot of good news and a spot of bad news for fans of late night eats.

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The bad-ish news: one of Ohio's most important (in our Ohio University grads' humble opinions) eateries is on the market, and will close if new owners are not found.

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The good news: there is a lot of interest from those who would take it over.

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Marla Rutter, the co-owner of The Burrito Buggy in Athens, Ohio with her husband Jimmy, said interest has been strong since she announced the business is up for sale.

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"I don't think it going to be a problem," she said of finding a buyer. "Our Facebook page is blowing up."

The Rutters bought the buggy in 2010 from Paul Wildeck, a Burrito Buggy original owner.

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Now the owner of two OMG! Rotisserie restaurants in Athens and The Madison on Paint in Chillicothe, Rutter said she and her family are stretched.

Plans for a fourth restaurant to be located in Chillicothe complicate things even more.

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The decision was made to concentrate on the restaurants which are in fixed spots, Rutter said. It wasn’t an easy call.

“The Burrito Buggy is extremely successful. That’s what got us started in our restaurants,” Rutter said. “It is like putting my first born up for sale.”

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The buggy sells some of the world’s tastiest burritos (a biased opinion from OU grads) and other late-night grub near the corner of Court and Union Streets in Athens.

In recent years, its spot was moved to a side of the street that makes it harder to park.

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An Ohio University student rite of passage since 1984,  Rutter said she started eating at the Burrito Buggy her freshman year of college at OU and loved it.

Some prospective buyers have expressed interest in  moving the buggy to Columbus and elsewhere. Rutter said she would hate to see that happen.

“Athens would not be the same without the Burrito Buggy,” she said. “I would really be happy if an alum got it, someone who has as much passion as we have.”

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The buggy has a large Dayton following. It has "invaded" Dayton the past three years as part of events at Dayton Beer Company in support of Ohio University Alumni Greater Dayton Chapter's scholarship fund.

As part of the sale, the new owner would get the business name, website, social media accounts, equipment, recipe, a 1984 Otterbacher Custom Concession Trailer, a 1999 Ford Econoline E350 and 40 hours of training.

The asking price is $65,000 cash, in addition to a $72,000 land contract option.

The Burrito Buggy on Friday disputed rumors that it would close in a now-removed Facebook post.

Credit: Screen grab

Credit: Screen grab

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