ONE of basketball legend Michael Jordan’s restaurants is closing soon – and fans don’t have long to go.
Michael Jordan’s Steak House Oak Brook in Illinois will close after seven “incredible” years.
The final date of service is set for December 21.
It is not known why specifically the Chicago Bull’s business is closing down.
The steak house put out a Facebook post thanking people for the “legendary journey”.
The emotional post reads: “After 7 incredible years, Michael Jordan’s Steak House Oak Brook will be closing its doors.
“This was not an easy decision, as we’ve loved every moment serving you and being part of this community.
“A heartfelt thank you to our amazing team for your dedication and to our loyal guests and partners—your support has meant everything!
“Thank you for being part of our legendary journey!”
The post has over 1,000 reactions, but has restricted comments.
The basketball player turned businessman will still have steakhouses in three states.
These include Chicago, Connecticut and Washington.
Fans of the legendary athlete will know him most for his career with the Chicago Bulls between 1984 and 2003, in which he won six NBA Championships.
RESTAURANT CLOSINGS
Michael Jordan’s dining business is not the only major name closing down branches.
In October, TGI Friday’s closed 49 store locations.
The closures come after Bloomberg reported the burger chain was preparing to file for bankruptcy over the next few weeks.
It is just the latest in several closures for the 59-year-old restaurant chain.
The group closed 36 stores in January, and another 12 in September, bringing the total tally to almost 100.
“We’ve identified opportunities to optimize and streamline our operations to ensure we are best positioned to meet — and exceed — on that brand promise,” TGI Fridays Chief Operating Officer Ray Risley previously said in a press release.
Denny’s have also fallen victim to cuts, and are in the process of closing 150 of their restaurants.
Bosses confirmed that around 75 restaurants will close by the end of the year, and the rest will close in 2025.
Restaurant closures in 2024
BOSSES at major dining chains have announced a series of restaurant closures. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of the chain's affected.
- Cracker Barrel: Stores in Medford, Oregon, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California, have closed.
- Mod Pizza: Bosses dramatically shuttered 27 shops in April, including some in the state of California.
- Frisch’s Big Boy: Restaurant chiefs confirmed the closure of a restaurant in Covington, Kentucky in April.
- Outback Steakhouse: The chain will shutter 41 ‘underperforming’ locations this year.
- Two Bucks: Four restaurants in Ohio closed in April.
- Chili’s: A restaurant in Port Arthur, Texas, has shut permanently as well as one in Irvine, California, and one in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
- Friendly’s: Bosses confirmed an establishment in Ronkonkoma, Long Island will close.
- Pizza Hut: A restaurant in Glen Falls, New York, closed at the end of March, followed by four in Ohio in June and 15 in Indiana. This was followed in July by a bankruptcy filing from its parent company which announced the closure of 150 locations.
- Carl’s Jr.: The first Boise, Idaho location has closed.
- In-N-Out: An Oakland location closed earlier in the year due to crime in the area.
- Cheesecake Factory: The chain is set to shutter a location in Memphis, Tennessee in July.
- Applebee’s: Announced the closure of between 25 and 35 locations this year.
- Red Lobster: The seafood chain filed for bankruptcy in May and shuttered over 100 locations.
- Taco John’s: Shuttered a restaurant in Minnesota and put the building up for sale in May.
- Frisco’s Chicken: The poultry restaurant shuttered all of its locations over the summer
- Rubio’s Coastal Grill: Has announced the closure of 48 locations in California after filing for bankruptcy.
- Burger King: Shuttered a location in California in June after 30 years.
- Foster’s Freeze: Shuttered a location in California after five decades in business due to financial struggles.
- Chicken Salad Chick: After nine years the restaurant shuttered one location in Jacksonville, Florida, with no reason given.
- México Lindo: The New York City-based restaurant announced its final day after 52 years and finally shuttered its doors for good on July 31.
- American Dream Pizza: Closed all of its locations in Oregon in July.
- Tender Greens: The Southern California-based chain filed for bankruptcy.
- Lefty’s Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, & Grill: Abruptly shuttered 18 locations in July due to a family feud.
- Firehouse Subs: Shuttered a location in the Tri-Cities area of Washington State over the summer citing “unforeseen circumstances”
- Taco Time: The Taco Bell rival shuttered a location in Seattle after 50 years following a death in the franchise owner’s family.
- Burgerim: Shuttered a location in Burlington, Massachusetts in July, reigniting bankruptcy fears from 2020.
- Denny’s: The chain has shuttered over 40 locations so far this year with the owner of the one outlet blaming vandalism.
- Starbucks: The chain shuttered one of its most iconic locations in New York City after almost three decades with fans blaming crime. It also lost a location in Seattle.
- Subway: In August, the sandwich chain shuttered over 20 locations across the US and Canada after a franchisee lost money after being a victim of fraud.
- IHOP: A restaurant in New Hampshire shut its doors after 24 years, leaving four locations in the state.
- Switchback Coffee Roasters: The popular chain filed for bankruptcy in August after over a decade in business.
- Jimmy John’s: The sandwich shop chain shuttered a location in Nevada on August 19 after 12 years citing overexpansion issues.
- KFC: Closed the remaining three locations in Rockford, Illinois all on the same day on August 19. In total, it closed six locations across four cities in Illinois.
- Rusty Bucket: The chicken shop chain confirmed it would officially leave Florida as it announced a handful of closures including in Sarasota and Ohio.
- Buca di Beppo: The Olive Garden rival abruptly shuttered 44 locations across five states before filing for bankruptcy.
- Red Robin: Announced the closure of its Ashburn, Virginia location on August 25 after 15 years in business.
- Noodles & Company: Shuttered dozens of locations due to their contribution to around $2 million worth of losses.
- Shoney’s: The classic American-style food chain founded in 1947 officially exited Ohio after three decades of business as it reduced its operational footprint.
- Homegrown: The sandwich chain based in Seattle announced the closure of 10 locations leaving 150 employees in the lurch.
- World of Beer: Filed for bankruptcy after closing 14 outlets.
- Arby’s: The chain announced a number of closures this year including in Lexington, Kentucky, Akron, Ohio,
- Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Shuttered a location in New Jersey in July, leaving just two in the state, followed by the closure of a Baltimore location in August.
- Hart House: Shutterd all four locations in California in September just two years after the vegan fast-food restaurant chain was launched by actor and comedian Kevin Hart.
In another major change, it has been announced that some Denny’s will not be open for 24 hours anymore going forward.
The number of items on the menu is also being trimmed down from 97 to 46, presumably in an effort to lower costs.
According to reports, branches are being closed down because they are too old to be refurbished.
Diners have been left heartbroken by the news of the slew of restaurant closures.
“Denny’s holds a special place in my heart from my college days,” one fan said.
“Not many options at 3:00 in the morning. The Grand Slam is a winner,” another fan said.
