SEAFOOD lovers are in for another must-see as Joe’s Crab Shack closes its last location in the Northeast.
The nautical-themed restaurant with colorful signs in Deptford, New Jersey — just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — will close its doors for the final time at the end of this month.
O next The closest Joe’s Crab Shack location is in Baltimore, Maryland, according to the company’s website.
Store leadership made the announcement on April 24.
The short-term closure is the result of a “natural lease expiration,” the venue’s director of operations, Terry Turney, told reporters at the local e-news site. 42Highway.
He confirmed when the last day would be that seafood lovers could dine at the restaurant.
“Joe’s Crab Shack located at 2000 Clements Bridge Road in Deptford, NJ will close its doors on May 26, 2024,” he said.
The restaurant has been located in the Deptford Landing shopping center in Gloucester County for years.
BANKRUPTCY AND REDUCTION
Joe’s Crab Shack opened its first restaurant in Houston, Texas in 1991.
The restaurant chain has struggled for years, culminating in a 2017 bankruptcy filing and a change in ownership, according to the Houston Business Journal.
Landry’s Restaurants purchased the bankrupt company at auction later that year and immediately closed 40 locations.
The corporation owns hundreds of hospitality, entertainment and gaming franchises, including Del Frisco’s and Morton’s Steakhouse.
HOW MANY JOE’S CRAB SHACKS ARE LEFT?
There are only 29 Joe’s Crab Shack locations remaining in 11 states:
- Arizona
- California (4)
- Florida (8)
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas (9)
- Utah
Although further mass closures have not been announced by Landry’s, more than a dozen Joe’s Crab Shacks have closed in recent years.
In December, the nearest Joe’s Crab Shack closed in Clifton, New Jersey.
Leadership gave the same explanations for the Clifton and Deptford restaurants, citing a “natural lease expiration.”
The company’s spokesperson focused on other aspects of the situation in his comments about the most recent closure to local reporters.
“We thank the community for their many years of support. We value our employees, their dedication to our company and are working to relocate them to nearby sister locations,” said Turney.
The Deptford location has already been leased by Wharton Real Group, according to NJ.com.
CLOSURE OF RESTAURANTS IN GALORE
Joe’s Crab Shack isn’t the only restaurant facing closures this year.
Floridians were shocked to see 11 Tijuana Flat locations closed overnight after the company went bankrupt and was sold to a new owner.
Chili’s fans in Irvine, California are mourning the loss of their local restaurant after the owners announced that its lease had also expired.
And Cracker Barrel lovers across three states got a bad surprise when the store’s leadership announced it was closing several locations last month.
Southern-style restaurant has closed its windows in Medford, Oregon; Columbia, South Carolina; and Sacramento, California.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story