ORLANDO, Fla. – Fans of Bahama Breeze restaurants are being met with unwanted news this week, as the company behind the chain announced that all locations will soon be shut down.
In a release, company officials said that the chain, which is made up of 28 locations, is “no longer a strategic priority.”
As such, half of those locations will be permanently closed, and the other half will be converted into another Darden brand, officials explained.
Per the release, the 14 locations that are set to close are expected to keep operating through April 5. Meanwhile, the remaining locations will be converted over the next 12-18 months.
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“They are expected to continue to operate until any temporary closures are needed for the conversion,” the release reads. “At this time, the company is not disclosing the specific Darden brands into which these locations will be converted.”
The list of locations set to be closed or converted is as follows:
| CLOSING LOCATIONS | CONVERSION LOCATIONS |
|---|---|
| 500 Center Blvd., Newark, DE | 499 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL |
| 3590 Breckenridge Blvd., Duluth, GA | 805 Brandon Town Center Drive, Brandon, FL |
| 12395 SW 88th Street, Miami, FL | 14701 S. Tamiami Trail, Ft. Myers, FL |
| 10205 Rivercoast Drive, Jacksonville, FL | 8160 Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy., Kissimmee, FL |
| 1251 West Osceola Pkwy., Kissimmee, FL | 25830 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz, FL |
| 11000 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, FL | 5620 W. Oak Ridge Road, Orlando, FL |
| 1540 Rinehart Road, Sanford, FL | 8849 International Drive, Orlando, FL |
| 19600 Haggerty Road, Livonia, MI | 8735 Vineland Ave., Orlando, FL |
| 2000 Route 38, Cherry Hill, NJ | 1200 N. Alafaya Drive, Orlando, FL |
| 3309 Wake Forest Drive, Raleigh, NC | 3045 N. Rocky Point Drive East, Tampa, FL |
| 320 Goddard Blvd., King of Prussia, PA | 755 Earnest W Barrett Pkwy. NW, Kennesaw, GA |
| 6100 Robinson Center Drive, Pittsburgh, PA | 570 Cross Creek Mall, Fayetteville, NC |
| 2714 Potomac Mills Circle, Woodbridge, VA | 7811 Rivers Ave., Charleston, SC |
| 15700 Southcenter Pkwy., Tukwila, WA | 4554 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA |
“The company believes the conversion locations are great sites that will benefit several of the brands in its portfolio,” the release concludes. “Going forward, the primary focus will continue to be on supporting team members, including placing as many as possible in roles within the Darden portfolio.”
Darden’s portfolio of brands includes many popular chains nationwide, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, The Capital Grille, Chuy’s, Seasons 52, and Eddie V’s.