Restaurant in midst of legal battle with reality TV star closes for good

MT. LEBANON, Pa. — A restaurant in Mt. Lebanon in the midst of a legal battle with a reality television star has closed for good.

The owners of The Simple Greek on Washington Road went on the CNBC show "The Profit" and claim the host didn't live up to his promises.

"According to Mike, the Mt. Lebanon franchise is the one that's struggling the most, and I can see why: it's dark, it's dirty, the menu's confusing," Marcus Lemonis said of The Simple Greek on his show in 2014.

Back then, it was known as My Big Fat Greek Gyro, and owners Michael Ference and his wife Kathleen hoped the CNBC host could save their struggling business.

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Filming took place at the flagship location in McMurray.

Lemonis offered $350,000 to help their franchises in exchange for a 55% stake.

"I'm not paying more than that, and if it doesn't work, I understand," he said on a 2014 episode of "The Profit."

But according to a lawsuit the Ferences filed, his producers told them to give the check back because it was a prop.

Three years later, they claim they still haven't received a dime.

Lemonis fired back in an interview with Courthouse News.

He said he paid more than $150,000 to renovate the Mt. Lebanon location and did nothing wrong.

"As we sell franchises around the country, we will share in everything we do going forward," he said.

But the lawsuit says Lemonis named his own company as sole owner of The Simple Greek and later froze the Ferences out.

Lemonis told Courthouse News he came up with The Simple Greek concept, saying, "I'm not Santa Claus. I don't just create a concept and then just hand it over to people for doing nothing."

Michael Frerence told our news partners at TribLIVE.com he believes the lawsuit will go to trial soon.

He said he's no longer involved in the business.

The Simple Greek operates dozens of locations nationwide, including two in the Pittsburgh area.

Cox Media Group