Read time: 5 min.

I love a good half-rack of ribs. Here in Muncie, though, I don’t eat them because I’m not even sure where to start. Texas Roadhouse? Outback? Ruby Tuesday’s? I confess my ignorance. When I was a kid, though, there was a time when ribs, trivia, and wall-to-wall sports were all just a short drive away on Nebo Road. Long before chain restaurants became so cookie-cutter, Damon’s offered something different. Unfortunately, it’s been gone for nearly sixteen years. 

Damon’s got its start in 1979, but it wasn’t until 1995 that the Columbus, Ohio-based chain set its sights on Muncie. That year, plans were announced for a new location just west of Meijer on land purchased from the local YMCA. The project brought together an unlikely team of developers that included a business professor from Anderson University, a few Muncie physicians, a veterinarian from Anderson, and even a golf club owner. When it opened, Damon’s made local history by becoming the first restaurant to snag a liquor permit along unincorporated McGalliard Road¹. 

Damon’s officially opened on May 13, 1996, and brought ribs, sports, and big screens to Muncie and Yorktown. Rapidly, the restaurant became a popular hangout- especially in its lounge², where four massive TVs broadcast wall-to-wall sports along with free, interactive trivia³. Aside from ribs and chops, menu highlights included the Steamboat: slow-roasted pulled pork drenched in barbecue sauce and melted cheddar jack, all piled onto a hoagie roll. Then there was the Onion Loaf- sweet onions, seasoned, battered, and deep-fried into a beautiful, golden brick.

Somehow, my budget-minded parents took us to Damon’s a few times back in its heyday. The place was just down the road from our house. The towering TVs were mesmerizing, the trivia was cool because we actually got to play since it was free, and the cupola on the roof reminded me of an old schoolhouse. Damon’s was the first place I tried ribs, and they were fantastic!

Ribs, Steamboats, and Onion Loafs aside, fans crowded into Damon’s locations across the country like Muncie’s for packed Seinfeld watch parties when the iconic series concluded in 1998⁴. Behind the scenes, though, trouble was brewing. Sales had slumped across the company, debt piled up, and the once-booming chain began to lose its edge.

By 2002, the 150-unit empire had shrunk to just 87 locations. The high-tech clubhouse experience that once set Damon’s apart had become commonplace, and competitors -both national chains and local upstarts- were serving ribs that matched or beat Damon’s signature fare⁵.

Here in Muncie, Damon’s longtime manager took over the restaurant in 2003⁶. Unfortunately, tough times were just around the corner. As the Great Recession set in, restaurants like Damon’s saw crowds thin out since cost-conscious diners simply weren’t eating out as often⁷.

To try and stay afloat, the restaurant rolled out a new, more family- and “female-friendly” menu featuring house-made appetizers, soups, salads, skillets, and sauces⁸. It wasn’t enough: as credit markets tightened, Damon’s was dealt a final blow. In 2009, the property was listed for sale at $1.28 million⁹.

Despite winning Muncie’s Rib Fest two years running, Damon’s closed for good on August 11, 2009¹⁰. Later, the building saw a second life as a DIY hardware store before it was purchased by the owners of several Toyota, Kia, and Volkswagen dealerships nearby¹¹. For the past nine years, the restaurant that once served up ribs, steamboats, and onion loaves has been used to recondition trade-in vehicles¹². 

It’s easy to drive past the old Damon’s building without a second thought, never knowing it was once home to giant screens, packed trivia nights, and some of the best ribs in town. For those of us who remember, though, Damon’s wasn’t just another chain restaurant, even though it really was: Damon’s was a neighborhood gathering place, a little ahead of its time, but a really fun place to eat. At least that’s how I remember it.  I pass by often. Every time, I swear I can catch a faint whiff of an Onion Loaf in the fryer. 

Sources Cited
1 Slabaugh, S. (1995, August 5). Damon’s gets liquor permit. The Muncie Star. p. 1. 
2 Damon’s To Open (1996, April 19). The Muncie Evening Press. p. 16. 
3 Damon’s Unveils New Menu and Upgraded Catering (2009, January 22). The Muncie Star Press. p. 26. 
4 Kinsey, M. (1998, May 13). Signing Off. The Muncie Star Press. p. 21. 
5 LeVecchia, G. (2007, April 1). Damon’s: Back from the Brink. Restaurant Hospitality. Web. Retriebed June 1, 2025. 
6 Royson, K. (2007, November 4). Local restaurants feeling Economic changes. The Muncie Star Press. P. 29. 
7 Roysdon, K. (2009, July 30). Damon’s Grill could close without buyer. The Muncie Star Press. p. 11. 
8 Damon’s Unveils New Menu and Upgraded Catering (2009, January 22). The Muncie Star Press. p. 26. 
9 (See footnote 7). 
10 Westside restaurant closes its doors (2009, August 11). The Muncie Star Press. p. 3. 
11 Roysdon, K. (2016, July 4). Dealership buys former restaurant. The Muncie Star Press. Web. Retrieved June 1, 2025. 
12 (See footnote 11).