ST. CLAIRSVILLE ­– Employees at Garfield’s Restaurant & Pub at the Ohio Valley Mall reported to work Friday to find the doors locked and the establishment’s office permanently closed, but a new restaurant will be opening up at the location in the coming months.

Joe Bell, director of corporate communication at the Cafaro Company, confirmed that the Cafaro Co. had filed a lawsuit against Garfield’s in 2020.

“We had sued them over a rent issue,” Bell said. “That was the case.”

Garfield’s Restaurant and Pub, is accused in the lawsuit of failing to pay Cafaro lease charges totaling $88,834 for its St. Clairsville mall location. The charges include rental payments, finance charges, extended lighting, fire alarm inspection, storm sewer and trash removal payments.

Garfield’s first opened its doors at the mall in 1999.

“Apparently Garfield’s lease has ended and is being replaced with another restaurant,” Bell said. “Next week it’ll be turned over to Coaches Burger Bar. They’re going to be doing some renovation. They have a very broad menu of burgers and sandwiches and all kinds of other things. Salads. You name it. … This will be their seventh location.”

Bell said Cafaro took action to ensure the space did not stand empty.

“This has been a negotiated thing. I believe our leasing department was talking with other concerns and Coaches Burger Bar expressed a deep interest,” he said.

“They will be open some point this fall, but they want to do some renovating first. Adding a new exterior entrance, and we’re very excited to hear them coming in. It’s a good, well-run franchise and it offers a pretty nice menu. A lot of variety. We’re excited to have it there as a fresh new offering at the mall. … It was specifically built as a restaurant location. … We’re very happy to not have that place sit empty very long. It’s going to be a quick turnover and we’ll see them back in business fairly soon,” Bell said. “I don’t know what their long-term ambitions are. They may do some additional renovations in the springtime.”

Bell could not say whether Coaches will offer jobs to former Garfield’s employees.

“I’m sure that they’d be willing to entertain that. Everyone’s looking for employees now, so I’m sure they would be happy to talk with those folks who lost jobs,” he said.

Garfield’s and Coaches could not be reached for comment.