The Bill Knapp Legacy Will Never Die - So Why Not Bring It Back?

When Bill Knapp's restaurants were at their peak, their slogan should have been “We're not just for the old folks anymore”. Knapp's had a widespread reputation for being a restaurant for senior citizens thanks to their senior citizen specials. But families and young couples flocked to Bill Knapp's because the food was just plain good 'n tasty.

I went there plenty of times when I was in my 20s and usually ordered the meatloaf. Knapp's was also famous for their au gratin potatoes and desserts.

Clinton "Bill" Knapp founded his restaurant in 1948, with the very first location opening in Battle Creek at SW Capital & Columbia. There were Bill Knapp’s restaurants throughout mid-Michigan (Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lansing) and more locations spilling over into Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and even Florida.

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For those who loved Bill Knapp's sweets & baked goods, those goodies were available at selected grocers throughout the state, like their doughnuts, breads, cakes, and more. Lately it's been getting harder and harder to find them.

So why did the restaurants close if they were so popular?

Financial problems. By the time 2002 rolled around, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and his last few restaurants were closed down for good on August 20 of that year.

The downfall of Knapp's cannot be blamed on Bill...he passed away at age 67 in 1974 almost 30 years before the restaurants took their fall. He is buried in Battle Creek's Oak Hill Cemetery under his real name, Clinton Beecham Knapp.

As I already mentioned: If businesses like Disney, Hershey's, Levi Strauss etc. are still around and keeping the names of their deceased founders, then why not Bill Knapp? Bring 'em back...