East-side diners who frequent Maple Street Biscuit Company in Mason or Florence, Kentucky, face changes ahead. Louisville-based Biscuit Belly has acquired the chain from Cracker Barrel, and Cincinnati is one of the first markets where conversions will begin.
Biscuit Belly, a gourmet biscuit sandwich concept founded in 2019 by Chad and Lauren Coulter, announced Monday, July 20, that it acquired 35 Maple Street locations nationwide. Another 16 Maple Street restaurants will close outright as part of the deal, according to Chain Store Age.
The two Greater Cincinnati Maple Street sites sit at 9333 Mason Montgomery Road in Mason and 6785 Houston Road, Suite 400, in Florence. They are the only Maple Street locations in the region. Cincinnati is named as one of the first two conversion markets alongside Richmond, Virginia, according to Nation's Restaurant News, but the company has not specified whether both local sites will convert or one could close.
"Two of the biggest headwinds that growing brands encounter are the time required to find and build locations, and the difficulty of finding great teams," Coulter said in a July 20 press release. "When we looked at Maple Street's geography, footprints, and established teams, a light bulb went off."
What's changing
Coulter said in a LinkedIn post that converted restaurants will receive "a refresh inside and out" and will introduce Biscuit Belly's scratch-made menu. The brand is known for buttermilk fried chicken biscuit sandwiches, "Bonuts" (biscuit doughnut holes), and specialty coffee with boozy beverages.
Biscuit Belly currently operates 15 locations, mostly in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee. The acquisition more than triples its footprint, with a target of more than 60 restaurants by the end of 2028, according to Nation's Restaurant News.
Why Cracker Barrel sold
Cracker Barrel bought Maple Street in October 2019 for $36 million and expanded it to 70 locations by early 2025. The parent company began closing underperforming units in spring 2025, trimming the chain to 51 restaurants before this sale.
Cracker Barrel expects to record $37 million to $39 million in non-cash charges in its fiscal fourth quarter tied to the divestiture, plus $6 million to $8 million in cash costs for severance and lease terminations, according to FSR Magazine.
"Divesting Maple Street sharpens our focus on the core Cracker Barrel brand and is expected to improve profitability," Cracker Barrel president and CEO Julie Masino said in a July 20 press release.
What's next
No specific conversion date has been announced for the Mason or Florence locations. Coulter said all 35 acquired sites will be rebranded within 18 to 24 months, with existing Maple Street teams invited to stay through the transition. The Mason location is about 20 miles northeast of Hyde Park; the Florence site is roughly 15 miles south of Cincinnati's east side.
