Galion has lost its Domino’s Pizza location, at least for now, as part of an abrupt shutdown involving 13 restaurants operated by a major Ohio franchisee. The Domino’s at 144 S. Liberty Street is among a group of stores that suddenly closed under Mile High Pizza Company LLC, an operation owned by longtime Domino’s franchisee Anthony Satterwhite. The closures stretch across north central and northeast Ohio and include locations in Mansfield, Ashland, Crestline, Mount Gilead, Canal Fulton, Akron, Barberton and Wadsworth.
While the doors are closed, Domino’s says the story may not end there.
Domino’s Looking For New Owners
Domino’s has confirmed that 13 restaurants associated with Satterwhite have closed and is now referring to Mile High Pizza Company as a “former franchisee.” The company says it is working to place the affected restaurants under new ownership, raising the possibility that the Galion store could eventually reopen. “This is an isolated franchisee matter,” Domino’s said in a statement reported by Nation’s Restaurant News, adding that the company is working to transition the restaurants to new ownership.
No timetable for a reopening in Galion has been announced.
The company has also not released a complete list of all 13 closed restaurants. Eleven have been publicly identified, including three in Mansfield and the locations in Galion and nearby Crestline and Mount Gilead.
A Rapidly Growing Franchise Operation
The sudden shutdown comes after a period of substantial expansion for Mile High Pizza Company. Satterwhite owned at least 25 Domino’s restaurants at the end of 2025, according to Domino’s franchise disclosure information. Mile High had described itself in recent employment postings as a locally owned operation serving the Cleveland, Akron, Mansfield and Columbus markets. The company went even further in recruiting prospective employees, saying that since the beginning of 2020 it had increased its number of locations by more than 400 percent.
That growth makes the sudden loss of more than half of the 25 stores associated with Satterwhite at the end of last year particularly notable. Satterwhite reportedly entered the Domino’s system as a franchisee in 2017, initially operating four restaurants in the Mansfield area. His network eventually expanded into numerous communities across northern and central Ohio.
Questions Remain About What Happened
What triggered the closures remains unclear. Mile High Pizza Company has not publicly provided an explanation that we can find, and attempts by national news organizations to reach the company and Satterwhite have reportedly gone unanswered. Fast Company reported that employees and others had discussed possible financial difficulties online, but Domino’s has not publicly detailed the franchisee’s circumstances.
As of Monday, September 14, no bankruptcy filing connected with the closures had been reported. The number of employees affected across the 13 restaurants also has not been disclosed. Before the shutdown, the Galion Domino’s operated at 144 S. Liberty Street with the familiar mix of delivery and carryout service. The location had been identified in Domino’s franchise records as one of Satterwhite’s stores.
A Regional Closure With A Local Impact
For Galion, the closing is part of a much larger regional disruption. Other confirmed shutdowns include Domino’s restaurants at 420 N. Seltzer St. in Crestline, 28 S. Main St. in Mount Gilead, 627 Claremont Ave. in Ashland, and three Mansfield locations on Ashland Road, Lexington Avenue and Trimble Road. Additional closures occurred farther east in Canal Fulton, Akron, Barberton and Wadsworth. One nearby Domino’s has not been caught up in the shutdown. The restaurant at 62 E. Main St. in Shelby remains listed as operating by Domino’s and is run by a different franchise company, Penwell Pizza LLC.
For Galion customers, however, the more important question is whether the Liberty Street ovens will fire up again in a city that has been struck by multiple business closures, including restaurants.
Domino’s has made clear that it wants the affected restaurants back in operation. What is not yet known is who might take over the Galion franchise, how quickly a transfer could take place, or whether every one of the closed locations will ultimately return. For now, the sign on the building may still say Domino’s, but the future of the Galion restaurant depends on finding someone new to operate it.