The announcement that Red Lobster is closing in Alexandria’s West End was met by surprise and skepticism from restaurant staff.
The international seafood chain closed about 100 locations after declaring bankruptcy in May, and an August court filing revealed that it will not renew leases at 23 unprofitable locations. Listed locations set to close by Aug. 31 include Alexandria’s at 555 S. Van Dorn Street, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal.
Restaurant staff insisted it’s not closing. An employee who’s worked at the restaurant for 38 years said that he’d received no such notification in the mail, and that it sends employees updates on how the company is being affected by the bankruptcy. A manager said that the lease to the building was recently renewed, and that it will still be open after next week.
The first Red Lobster opened in Lakeland, Florida, in 1968, and there are more than 500 locations around the world.
In June, Alexandria Living Magazine reported that the restaurant was in danger of closing unless it could renegotiate its lease. The company is now positioning itself to sell to Fortress Investment Group, according to the Washington Business Journal.
