For the first time in more than three decades, the McGraw family no longer owns any of the McDonald’s restaurants in Springfield. McGraw Enterprises sold its seven Springfield locations as of Feb. 1, with Kim Derringer purchasing the Monroe Street restaurant and Brad and Karol Davis buying six other locations.
Both buyers are already franchisees for other area McDonald’s restaurants. Derringer operates the Springfield locations on Freedom Drive and Chatham Road, while Taylorville residents Brad and Karol Davis operate eight McDonald’s in the Champaign market.
“We’ve been entrenched here for over three decades, so it was a very tough decision,” said owner Mike McGraw. His parents, Rick and Dona McGraw, first began operating McDonald’s in Springfield in 1989.
However, McGraw Enterprises has retained ownership of the McDonald’s in Litchfield and Williamsville and also owns and operates several hotels and Nancy’s Pizza locations in Springfield and Litchfield. McGraw’s sisters, Jenna and Christa, are both involved in the family business as well, which McGraw said would remain headquartered at 6450 S. Sixth St. McGraw also said he has no plans to relocate and plans to continue to be heavily involved in the Springfield community.
“We love it here, all our family and friends are here and we’ll still live here, that doesn’t change,” he said. “The community has been amazing; we have a lot of love for the people here.”
