No more free pie: Chain closing one restaurant in Lexington, another in Frankfort
The Tennessee-based restaurant chain O’Charley’s is closing at least two Kentucky locations, including one in Lexington.
O’Charley’s, which began in Nashville in 1971, has more than 200 locations in 17 states, according to the company’s web site. It is known for chicken tenders, rolls and offering free pie on Wednesday.
But beginning next week it will have two fewer in Kentucky. The O’Charley’s at 2270 Nicholasville Rd. and the O’Charley’s at 325 Leonardwood Rd. will be closing Sunday.
Craig Barber, president of O’Charley’s, confirmed the closings via an email statement Thursday.
“As is common within our industry, market strength and traffic patterns for specific locations change while competition evolves. Based on this important strategic review process, we have analyzed the O’Charley’s restaurant portfolio and will be closing 2270 Nicholasville Road location in Lexington and 325 Leonardwood Road location in Frankfort after close of business on February 23, 2020,” Barber said.
Other local O’Charley’s locations are unaffected; Lexington O’Charley’s on Richmond Road and on Harrodsburg Road will remain open.
“We appreciate our guests and the many friends we made over the years at these locations. We are also grateful to our team members who so capably served our guests and have assisted them in transitioning to other stores or new employment,” Barber said.
O’Charley’s is owned by American Blue Ribbon Holdings; a separate arm of American Blue Ribbon Holdings, which owns Bakers Square and Village Inn restaurants, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.
O’Charley’s opened its its 12th location in Lexington, in a former Bennigan’s just off Richmond Road in 1987. The Nicholasville Road location opened the next year in the site of the former W.W. Cousins, which featured a 35-item condiment bar, as well as an in house bakery and house-ground hamburger.
In 2019, O’Charley’s closed eight restaurants across the country in one day.
