Friendly’s parent firm files for bankruptcy

NEW YORK — The parent of the Friendly’s restaurant chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday and said it already has closed 63 stores.

Each store employed about 20 people, so about 1,260 jobs were lost. Not immediately affected was the local restaurant on South Reynolds Road near DusselDrive in Maumee.

Friendly Ice Cream Corp., a 76-year-old company based in Wilbraham, Mass., said the economic downturn coupled with higher costs and high rents drove it to file for bankruptcy protection.