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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
______________
SCHEDULE 13D
Amendment No. __
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Meritage Hospitality Group Inc., a Michigan corporation
(Name of Issuer)
Common Shares, $.01 par value
(Title of Class of Securities)
59000K 10 1
(CUSIP Number)
Gary P. Kreider, Esq.
Keating, Muething & Klekamp
One East Fourth Street, 18th Floor
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 579-6411
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)
August 28, 1996
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule
13G to report the acquisition which is the subject of this
Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule
13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box [ ].
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this
statement [X].
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[ ][ ] CUSIP NO. 59000K 10 1
13D
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NOS. OF ABOVE PERSONS
Mr. Jerry L. Ruyan -- ###-##-####
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 SOURCE OF FUNDS*
PF
5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS
REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEM 2(d) or 2(e)
[ ]
6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States citizen
7 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF 201,644
SHARES
8 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED BY
-0-
EACH
REPORTING 9 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH
201,644
10 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
-0-
11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
201,644
12 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES*
[ ]
13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
6.3 %
14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IN
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
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Item 1. Security and Issuer.
This Schedule 13D relates to the Common Shares, $.01
par value per share of Meritage Hospitality Group, Inc. ("MHGI"),
a Michigan corporation. MHGI's principal executive offices are
located at 40 Pearl Street, N.W., Suite 900, Grand Rapids,
Michigan 49503.
Item 2. Identity and Background.
(a) Jerry L. Ruyan
(b) 8730 Red Fox Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio 45243
(c) Mr. Ruyan is primarily engaged in the
business of investing. He conducts his
investment activities from the address
listed in (b) above.
(d) Mr. Ruyan, during the last five (5) years,
has not been convicted in a criminal
proceeding (excluding traffic violations
or similar misdemeanors).
(e) Mr. Ruyan, during the last five (5) years,
has not been a party to a civil proceeding
of a judicial or administrative body of
competent jurisdiction which resulted in
Mr. Ruyan being at any time subject to a
judgment, decree or final order enjoining
future violations of, or prohibiting or
mandating activities subject to, federal
or state securities laws or finding any
violation with respect to such laws.
(f) United States citizen.
Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
Mr. Ruyan has utilized personal funds in the amount
of $860,000 in connection with acquisitions to date of the Common
Shares.
Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
Mr. Ruyan has acquired his present position in the
Common Shares as an investment.
From time to time, Mr. Ruyan may acquire additional
Common Shares of MHGI, or dispose of such Common Shares.
Other than as set forth above, Mr. Ruyan has no
plans or proposals which relate to or would result in:
(a) the acquisition by any person of additional
securities of MHGI, or the disposition of
securities of MHGI;
(b) an extraordinary corporate transaction, such as
a merger, reorganization or liquidation,
involving MHGI or any of its subsidiaries;
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(c) a sale or transfer of a material amount of
assets of MHGI or any of its subsidiaries;
(d) any change in the present board of directors or
management of MHGI, including any plans or
proposals to change the number or term of
directors or to fill any existing vacancies on
the board;
(e) any material change in the present
capitalization or dividend policy of MHGI;
(f) any other material change in MHGI's business or
corporate structure;
(g) changes in MHGI's articles of incorporation or
by-laws or other actions which may impede the
acquisition of control of MHGI by any person;
(h) causing a class of securities of MHGI to cease
to be authorized to be quoted in an inter-
dealer quotation system of a registered
national securities association; or
(i) a class of equity securities of MHGI becoming
eligible for termination of registration
pursuant to Section 12(g)(4) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934; or
(j) any action similar to any of those enumerated
above.
Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
(a) See page 2, nos. 11 and 13.
(b) See page 2, nos. 7-10.
(c) All of the following trades were made
through market transactions in the last 60
days:
Purchase Number Price
or of Per
Date Sale Shares Share
____ ________ ______ _____
August 28, 1996 Purchase 201,644 $4.26
(d) None.
(e) Not Applicable.
Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or
Relationships with respect to Securities of the
Issuer.
None.
Item 7. Material to be filed as Exhibits.
1. Power of Attorney executed in connection
with filings under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934
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SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my
knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in
this statement is true, correct and complete.
Dated: September 5, 1996 Jerry L. Ruyan
________________________
Jerry L. Ruyan
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EXHIBIT 1
POWER OF ATTORNEY
I, JERRY L. RUYAN, hereby appoint GARY P. KREIDER
and MARK A. WEISS, or either of them, as my true and lawful
attorney-in-fact to sign on my behalf individually and to file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission any schedules or
other filings or amendments thereto made by me pursuant to
Section 13(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
23rd day of July, 1996.
Jerry L. Ruyan
___________________________
JERRY L. RUYAN
