Beloved restaurant abruptly closes location after 20 year amid second bankruptcy bloodbath – fans found sign on the door
A BELOVED restaurant has abruptly closed a location after 20 years as a second bankruptcy bloodbath boils over.
Visitors were only alerted to to historic closure with an abrupt note on the door as they tried to enter.
Cleveland Magazine has reported that Bar Louie has closed its location in Legacy Village in Lyndhurst, Ohio without warning.
The Lyndhurst location has been open for nearly 20 years.
Bar Louie has also recently shuttered in spot in Crocker park, Ohio, which opened in 2012.
Long time fans were only alerted to the Lyndhurst closure by a brief sign on the door thanking them.
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It is reported that even staff were caught by surprise at the note.
It read: "We regret to inform you this location is permanently closed.
"Thank you for the many memories!"
Bar Louie also abruptly shuttered stores in greater Detroit, Illinois and New Jersey in late March.
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WHAT STAFF WERE TOLD
The Detroit Free Press, reporting on two closures in Michigan, revealed the internal memo sent to employees.
It said: "The decision to close this location is in no way a reflection of you, this team, the management of this location, or the potential of the Bar Louie brand.
"Making the decision to close a location is never easy but focusing our resources on our higher-performing locations was the responsible approach."
The outlet also supported the apparent lack of warning given to staff members prior to the closures.
It appears that employees were laid off as of Sunday with little notice or warning.
According to several social media posts, one staffer arrived at Auburn Hills only to find a note, saying the restaurant was closed.
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2020, and closed more than 30 underperforming locations.
Restaurant closures in 2024
BOSSES at major dining chains have announced a series of restaurant closures. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of the chain's affected.
- Cracker Barrel: Stores in Medford, Oregon, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California, have closed.
- Mod Pizza: Bosses dramatically shuttered 27 shops in April, including some in the state of California.
- Frisch's Big Boy: Restaurant chiefs confirmed the closure of a restaurant in Covington, Kentucky in April.
- Outback Steakhouse: The chain will shutter 41 'underperforming' locations this year.
- Two Bucks: Four restaurants in Ohio closed in April.
- Chili's: A restaurant in Port Arthur, Texas, has shut permanently as well as one in Irvine, California, and one in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
- Friendly's: Bosses confirmed an establishment in Ronkonkoma, Long Island will close.
- Pizza Hut: A restaurant in Glen Falls, New York, closed at the end of March, followed by four in Ohio in June and 15 in Indiana. This was followed in July by a bankruptcy filing from its parent company which announced the closure of 150 locations.
- Carl's Jr.: The first Boise, Idaho location has closed.
- In-N-Out: An Oakland location closed earlier in the year due to crime in the area.
- Cheesecake Factory: The chain is set to shutter a location in Memphis, Tennessee in July.
- Applebee's: Announced the closure of between 25 and 35 locations this year.
- Red Lobster: The seafood chain filed for bankruptcy in May and shuttered over 100 locations.
- Taco John's: Shuttered a restaurant in Minnesota and put the building up for sale in May.
- Frisco's Chicken: The poultry restaurant shuttered all of its locations over the summer
- Rubio's Coastal Grill: Has announced the closure of 48 locations in California after filing for bankruptcy.
- Burger King: Shuttered a location in California in June after 30 years.
- Foster's Freeze: Shuttered a location in California after five decades in business due to financial struggles.
- Chicken Salad Chick: After nine years the restaurant shuttered one location in Jacksonville, Florida, with no reason given.
- México Lindo: The New York City-based restaurant announced its final day after 52 years and finally shuttered its doors for good on July 31.
- American Dream Pizza: Closed all of its locations in Oregon in July.
- Tender Greens: The Southern California-based chain filed for bankruptcy.
- Lefty's Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, & Grill: Abruptly shuttered 18 locations in July due to a family feud.
- Firehouse Subs: Shuttered a location in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State over the summer citing "unforeseen circumstances"
- Taco Time: The Taco Bell rival shuttered a location in Seattle after 50 years following a death in the franchise owner's family.
- Burgerim: Shuttered a location in Burlington, Massachusetts in July, reigniting bankruptcy fears from 2020.
- Denny's: The chain has shuttered over 40 locations so far this year with the owner of the one outlet blaming vandalism.
- Starbucks: The chain shuttered one of its most iconic locations in New York City after almost three decades with fans blaming crime. It also lost a location in Seattle.
- Subway: In August, the sandwich chain shuttered over 20 locations across the US and Canada after a franchisee lost money after being a victim of fraud.
- IHOP: A restaurant in New Hampshire shut its doors after 24 years, leaving four locations in the state.
- Switchback Coffee Roasters: The popular chain filed for bankruptcy in August after over a decade in business.
- Jimmy John's: The sandwich shop chain shuttered a location in Nevada on August 19 after 12 years citing overexpansion issues.
- KFC: Closed the remaining three locations in Rockford, Illinois all on the same day on August 19. In total, it closed six locations across four cities in Illinois.
- Rusty Bucket: The chicken shop chain confirmed it would officially leave Florida as it announced a handful of closures including in Sarasota and Ohio.
- Buca di Beppo: The Olive Garden rival abruptly shuttered 44 locations across five states before filing for bankruptcy.
- Red Robin: Announced the closure of its Ashburn, Virginia location on August 25 after 15 years in business.
- Noodles & Company: Shuttered dozens of locations due to their contribution to around $2 million worth of losses.
- Shoney's: The classic American-style food chain founded in 1947 officially exited Ohio after three decades of business as it reduced its operational footprint.
- Homegrown: The sandwich chain based in Seattle announced the closure of 10 locations leaving 150 employees in the lurch.
- World of Beer: Filed for bankruptcy after closing 14 outlets.
- Arby's: The chain announced a number of closures this year including in Lexington, Kentucky, Akron, Ohio,
- Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Shuttered a location in New Jersey in July, leaving just two in the state, followed by the closure of a Baltimore location in August.
- Hart House: Shutterd all four locations in California in September just two years after the vegan fast-food restaurant chain was launched by actor and comedian Kevin Hart.
Cleveland's other Bar Louie locations Downtown and in Strongsville closed years ago.
This was during its initial spate of 30 closures.
It is thought that this was done to offer protection against the bankruptcy filing.
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The Texas-based chain provides a menu of craft burgers, salads, bar bites, appetizers, and main dishes.
It has locations across 19 states.
