Losing a favorite local restaurant can feel like losing a friend. It's the end of a routine, the last time you'll get your go-to order, and a final taste of that perfect pulled pork or macaroni and cheese. But beyond the nostalgia and cravings, a restaurant closing is a deeply personal blow to the people who worked there, and that's the real heartbreak.
The latest chain to face this kind of change is Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill.
A New Direction for Smokey Bones
Smokey Bones, a well-known barbecue chain, has started closing locations as part of a major strategic shift. The brand was recently acquired by Twin Hospitality, which plans to convert 19 Smokey Bones restaurants into Twin Peaks, a sports bar chain also owned by the company. The new owners believe this is a smart move, and early results back them up: two locations that have already made the switch are now generating more than double their previous sales.
More Closures Are Coming
Beyond the conversions, Twin Hospitality is also closing 15 Smokey Bones restaurants that weren't performing well. Ten of these have already shut down, and the final five will close by the end of the company's third fiscal quarter. Ten of these have already shut their doors, and the remaining five are set to close by the end of the third fiscal quarter. Once this round of closures is complete, only 26 Smokey Bones restaurants will remain across the country.
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