Friday, April 23, 2010

Fuddruckers Sold and Downsizing Corporate Stores

Fuddruckers was sold this week and as a result is closing a number of locations, three of which are in the metro Atlanta area. Founded in 1980 in San Antonio Texas by Philip J. Romano, the chain has grown to include locations across the country and in Canada, Puerto Rico and the middle east. Romano left the chain in 1988 to found Romano's Macaroni Grill, and later EatZi's, which at one point had two locations in Atlanta, before closing in 2006. Through a number of transactions, Fuddruckers most recent owner was Magic Brands, LLC, but as part of the sale, the business changed hands to Tavistock Group, a private investment company with a concentration in the restaurant industry. In addition to the sale, the company will enter into a voluntary Chapter 11 filing allowing them to terminate a number of leases, leading to the closure of 24 corporately owned locations. In the Atlanta area, restaurants on LaVista Road in Tucker, Perimeter Center Parkway in Dunwoody and Scenic Highway North in Snellville will all close no later than April 30th. I have fond memories of going to the LaVista location near Northlake Mall as a child but admit that I have visited far less in recent years. Their 50s -60s music motif was always nice and the food was often good, I just think they let certain locations go, and did little to market them. With FLIP Burger Boutique, YEAH Burger, Grindhouse Killer Burgers and Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries among others all currently expanding, Fuddruckers appears to have been just behind the curve on capitalizing on the current burger craze. ToNeTo Atlanta

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4 comments:

Skreet said...

I loved the Fuddruckers in the old HD on Sidney Marcus. Such an odd marriage.

Atlantan99 said...

haha, Yes! What an odd combo. I wish they'd done something like that in their new, twice relocated, Buckhead store.

Anonymous said...

Although not in the Atlanta area, there is also a location adjacent to Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth. Though not busy, they just recently completed a remodel. Assuming this location will close too?

Atlantan99 said...

A number of location including a few corporate stores and all franchise locations well remain open. Locally this includes corporate locations in Duluth, near GPM, in Marietta on Windy Hill and in Alpharetta on North Point Pkwy.

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