Defunct restaurant chains and retailers

Started by Stephane Dumas, September 05, 2016, 03:33:50 PM

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SectorZ

Quote from: roadman65 on February 21, 2021, 07:42:30 AM
Valle's Steakhouse in VA, CT, and MA.

One of the last ones to close was fairly close to me in neighboring Andover. Don't remember going to it much.

I know they had a huge one somewhere on US 1 in Saugus that competed well with the Hilltop Restaurant, which is also defunct.


I-39

Not defunct yet, but Colonial Cafe in the western suburbs of Chicago had 7 locations and is now down to 3, all the closed locations have been within the last few years. This used to be a very popular chain, I wonder what is going on.

kphoger

Quote from: I-39 on February 24, 2021, 08:35:55 AM
Not defunct yet, but Colonial Cafe in the western suburbs of Chicago had 7 locations and is now down to 3, all the closed locations have been within the last few years. This used to be a very popular chain, I wonder what is going on.

Is that the place with the "Kitchen Sink"?  I've only eaten there once (in 1999), but I remember it being a locally popular place.
Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

I-39

Quote from: kphoger on February 24, 2021, 10:56:47 AM
Quote from: I-39 on February 24, 2021, 08:35:55 AM
Not defunct yet, but Colonial Cafe in the western suburbs of Chicago had 7 locations and is now down to 3, all the closed locations have been within the last few years. This used to be a very popular chain, I wonder what is going on.

Is that the place with the "Kitchen Sink"?  I've only eaten there once (in 1999), but I remember it being a locally popular place.

Yes. Their locations in Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Elgin and the west side of St. Charles have all closed within the last few years for reasons not totally clear. They were always busy when I went there.

roadman65

Back in 2001, I saw a White Castle logo on US 71( now part of I-49) at the time I was hungry.  Got off the freeway and after not being able to find the establishment I finally noticed a building boarded up that resembled the White Castle.

Early that trip I also wanted to visit the one in NorthKansas City off I-29 & 35 near the Paseo Bridge, and that too closed. So, of course, it was a regional closing. Too bad though,  MDOT didn't remove their logo sign on the then solo US 71 freeway, as I wasted time cruising the streets of Grandview to find a closed business.


So White Castle is now defunct in the KC area.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

bing101

https://www.kron4.com/news/national/frys-electronics-permanently-closes-nationwide/

Frys electronics going out of Business. I remember Frys was once the rival to best buy in California back in the 90's and 2000's. 

I-39

Quote from: bing101 on February 24, 2021, 01:56:18 PM
https://www.kron4.com/news/national/frys-electronics-permanently-closes-nationwide/

Frys electronics going out of Business. I remember Frys was once the rival to best buy in California back in the 90's and 2000's. 

I'm surprised Best Buy is still in business.

kphoger

Keep right except to pass.  Yes.  You.
Visit scenic Orleans County, NY!
Male pronouns, please.

Quote from: Philip K. DickIf you can control the meaning of words, you can control the people who must use them.

SectorZ

Quote from: I-39 on February 24, 2021, 02:28:34 PM
Quote from: bing101 on February 24, 2021, 01:56:18 PM
https://www.kron4.com/news/national/frys-electronics-permanently-closes-nationwide/

Frys electronics going out of Business. I remember Frys was once the rival to best buy in California back in the 90's and 2000's. 

I'm surprised Best Buy is still in business.

Last man standing it's kind of hard to mess that status up.

hbelkins

Quote from: roadman65 on February 24, 2021, 11:06:21 AM
Back in 2001, I saw a White Castle logo on US 71

So David's renting himself out for advertising now?  :rofl:


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

OCGuy81

Quote from: I-39 on February 24, 2021, 02:28:34 PM
Quote from: bing101 on February 24, 2021, 01:56:18 PM
https://www.kron4.com/news/national/frys-electronics-permanently-closes-nationwide/

Frys electronics going out of Business. I remember Frys was once the rival to best buy in California back in the 90's and 2000's. 

I'm surprised Best Buy is still in business.

I'm actually surprised they held on this long

US71

Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

jp the roadgeek

Quote from: SectorZ on February 24, 2021, 08:22:17 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on February 21, 2021, 07:42:30 AM
Valle's Steakhouse in VA, CT, and MA.

One of the last ones to close was fairly close to me in neighboring Andover. Don't remember going to it much.

I know they had a huge one somewhere on US 1 in Saugus that competed well with the Hilltop Restaurant, which is also defunct.

The one that was in Hartford is a very popular seafood restaurant called the USS Chowder Pot, which has another location in Branford.
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

TravelingBethelite

Quote from: jp the roadgeek on February 24, 2021, 09:07:54 PM
Quote from: SectorZ on February 24, 2021, 08:22:17 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on February 21, 2021, 07:42:30 AM
Valle's Steakhouse in VA, CT, and MA.

One of the last ones to close was fairly close to me in neighboring Andover. Don't remember going to it much.

I know they had a huge one somewhere on US 1 in Saugus that competed well with the Hilltop Restaurant, which is also defunct.

The one that was in Hartford is a very popular seafood restaurant called the USS Chowder Pot, which has another location in Branford.

AKA the USS Chowder Pot III. What ever happened to #II?
"Imprisoned by the freedom of the road!" - Ronnie Milsap
See my photos at: http://bit.ly/1Qi81ws

Now I decide where I go...

2018 Ford Fusion SE - proud new owner!

mgk920

I'm a bit amazed at the wackoness that is going on WRT GameStop, as all of their outlets here in the Appleton, WI area closed several months ago.

:spin:

Mike

GCrites

GameStop, using the only available information at the time, shut down any small locations that were close to large locations so that the larger locations could serve as gathering places for gamers -- both video and card. Now that video game demand is through the roof since people cannot gather that shift isn't as useful. I feel that video game demand will continue to be strong throughout 2021 and into 2022. After that is the wildcard. Does that much-touted but questionably-profitable "Gamesmaster Realm" business model that was being pushed from 2017-2019 as download games became dominant during The Fortnite Years kick right back in after the virus is over? Is there enough money in having all those young guys just hanging around all day? It's not like an arcade, barcade, pool hall or plain old bar where you're getting money out of them every X number of minutes.

D-Dey65

You know for years I used to think Dairy Queen went bankrupt, because a lot of the franchises on Long Island just packed up and left in the early-1970's. So I never understood how they could still advertise all those years afterwards, because as far as I knew, they were gone.

See that smoke shop on the left side of NY 112 in this picture?
https://www.eastcoastroads.com/states/ny/state/ny112/fullsize/112n0051.jpg
That actually used to be a Dairy Queen.

And BTW, I recently found out Sinclair was back in the New York Tri-State area after 50 years.


jp the roadgeek

Quote from: TravelingBethelite on February 25, 2021, 02:35:01 AM
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on February 24, 2021, 09:07:54 PM
Quote from: SectorZ on February 24, 2021, 08:22:17 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on February 21, 2021, 07:42:30 AM
Valle's Steakhouse in VA, CT, and MA.

One of the last ones to close was fairly close to me in neighboring Andover. Don't remember going to it much.

I know they had a huge one somewhere on US 1 in Saugus that competed well with the Hilltop Restaurant, which is also defunct.

The one that was in Hartford is a very popular seafood restaurant called the USS Chowder Pot, which has another location in Branford.

AKA the USS Chowder Pot III. What ever happened to #II?

The one in Hartford is actually USS Chowder Pot IV, so no idea what happened to II and I
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

TheHighwayMan3561

self-certified as the dumbest person on this board for 5 years running

Rothman

Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

bwana39

Jack in the Box is still all over Texas....

Quote from: briantroutman on September 27, 2016, 12:15:32 PM

Quote from: roadman65 on September 27, 2016, 07:25:16 AM
Jack In The Box, although a big chain still existed, could be considered defunct if you live on the east coast as they closed all their stores up and down the I-95 corridor back in the mid or late 70's.  In fact I though they were gone up until I visited California in 88, and was amazed that they still existed as they were gone for well over a decade in my home state of the time.

Jack in the Box was founded–and is still headquartered–in San Diego, and the company has always been a largely West Coast-oriented operation. My dad recalled going to Jack in the Box locations in Delaware and New Jersey as a teenager in the mid '60s, and he assumed the company had gone out of business.

I read that Jack's parent, Foodmaker, Inc., had planned a major eastward expansion for the '70s, but a combination of fuel shortages and declining economic conditions caused the company to abandon those plans. Perhaps the company was trying to blanket I-95 first in an attempt to get visibility for the name, but when the larger overall expansion was cancelled, the pioneer outposts were no longer needed.

Quote from: wriddle082 on September 27, 2016, 11:44:57 AM
Quote from: Brandon on September 27, 2016, 10:19:47 AM
2. Jack In The Box, believe it or not, still exists east of the Mississippi (but not by much).  They're all over St. Louis and Metro East, and exist as far as Litchfield, IL.

Back in the early 00's, they expanded into Greater Nashville, Upstate SC, Greater Charlotte, and the Triad.  (Maybe the Triangle also)  Over the past 7-8 years they closed some of their underperforming locations (pulling completely out of the Triad in the process), but they facelifted the remaining ones with their current logo and paint scheme.  Furthest east location now is either Concord or Monroe, NC.


I was about to mention that, and you beat me to it. They've also opened locations in Indianapolis and Cincinnati. I was also going to add, though, that I think all of the stores east of metro St. Louis are in entirely new territory for Jack–i.e., not locations that were part of the company's eastward expansion in the '60s that have hung around since then.
Let's build what we need as economically as possible.

GCrites

I wonder why Jack in the Box opened in Cincinnati over 10 years ago but still hasn't come to Columbus. Probably scared of how many Wendy's there are here. I remember one time counting 5 Wendy'ses that I drove past to get to the fast food place I wanted.

D-Dey65

#922
The only thing I'm looking for when it comes to Jack in the Box, is an old TV commercial that actress Julia Campbell appeared in. Evidently this was her on-screen debut.


On another defunct restaurant topic. when I was driving down from Folkston, GA last week, I stayed on US 301 a little longer than recommended, and I saw the former Hornes' in Lawtey:

http://www.highwayhost.org/Hornes/Locations/Florida/Photos/starke3.jpg

That place is completely closed now. Not even the "Florida Gift Shop" is operating anymore.



DJStephens

Was that Horne's location originally a Stuckey's?  It has the roof-line.   

D-Dey65




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