Two more Lexington restaurants gone: One after 30 years, another after 3
The Grand Slam and a Hamburg Mediterranean dining spot are gone. The COVID-19 pandemic shutdown has claimed two more restaurant casualties, including one that was the last location in Lexington.
The Denny’s on Newtown Pike near I-75 and several hotels will not be reopening, a corporate spokesperson confirmed through a statement.
This follows the news last month of the closing of the Denny’s on Nicholasville Road.
In both cases, the closure is “due to the severe financial environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the franchise owner does not have plans to reopen,” according to the statement.
“Denny’s has been working with its franchise owners to assist in helping them through this crisis, but the final decision to close is in the hands of each franchise business owner and their particular circumstances,” according to the company.
The Newtown Pike location, which was built in 1984, has been closed since March, as had been the Denny’s on Nicholasville Road. In both cases, signs on the door said that the restaurants were closed temporarily.
But after more than two months, even with restaurants allowed to reopen to limited inside seating, the two chain restaurants known for the “Grand Slam” breakfast as well as burgers, sandwiches and other diner food, are acknowledging they aren’t coming back.
The Nicholasville Road location has been put up for lease already.
Both Denny’s restaurants were originally Jerry’s Restaurants, owned by Lexington dining pioneer Jerrico, which also owned Long John Silver’s. When the company was sold in 1989, Jerry’s was spun off and some Lexington locations were sold to a Denny’s franchisee.
Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe in Hamburg closing
Long-time chains aren’t the only ones retrenching. A newer chain restaurant, owned by longtime Lexington restaurateur Mike Scanlon, also is closing one location permanently.
Scanlon confirmed that the Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe on Justice Drive in Hamburg also has closed for good. It had been there only about three years and was part of a new restaurant area outside Man o’War that also is surrounded by hotels.
The Taziki’s just off Southland Drive is open and has curbside pickup.
“We were sad to permanently close our Hamburg location,” Scanlon said in an email. “We feel that we can provide the safest and best service if we consolidated all of our activities including catering, to our Southland Drive Taziki’s where all of our employees were offered jobs. Since then we have partnered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters to donate 2,000 fresh healthy meals to families and neighbors of the kids who are mentored by BBBS. Because this pandemic has touched everyone’s life in so many different and life changing ways, we are very happy to still be able to be in business and serve our guests and community.”
