Another casualty of the economy?

[fickleone]

Our beloved TGI Fridays restaurant that is near our house closed without notice yesterday.  We've been going there for 20 years and it was one of the few restaurants that our whole family enjoyed.  I'm so sad.  There aren't any other Fridays in the metro area either.  This was the only one around

Comments

[growyourwings]

I can remember when that place opened. I went there on one of it's first days. Back in the days when the movie theatre was still right next to it. We'd do TGIFs and then a movie.

[fickleone]

Yep. There was also a Cucina, Cucina next door to the Fridays that closed years ago (but we hardly ever ate there)and it's been empty ever since. It seems like it would be a good location. Gustav's is across the street. I really hope the contagion doesn't spread.

[lauramcewan]

Joe Smith reported on it last night and said they hoped to reopen next week. I once had an argument with mgmt...1995. My niece's first bday and the told me to stop videotaping - they were concerned about the copyright of their decor! 15 of us prepared to leave and go to Pizza Hut and they relented.

[fickleone]

That's interesting to hear. I was going to check the newspaper for news too, but I've been too lazy to go outside and get it. What would be the point of closing and then reopening next week I wonder?

That's the pits about your bad experience with the birthday party.

[lauramcewan]

I think it's a reorganization thing.

Yeah, after I assured them that I had no interest at all about what was on their walls and was only concerned with my niece and her family, and others around us said, "Fine, we'll go somewhere else..." they "talked to the manager" and as long as we kept the camera to the table, we were ok.

Sheesh. :D

[mrsr58]

this economy sucks as bad as our ratings this week. :/
sorry about your local hangout. i hope things work out for their employees.

come to think of it -- i've got a friday's gift certificate hanging around somewhere....hmmmm.....

[fickleone]

Yeah, the ratings weren't so hot this week, were they?

I think the news said that several Friday's around the country were closed, so I wonder if the one near you survived? Good luck with your gift certificate. Maybe you should use it soon! It's a good place to go for drinks!!

[mrsr58]

thanks! unfortunately, there isn't a friday's close by.

[sadiane]

Oh noes! M & I almost NEVER made it out there, but the one in north Tucson was our college hangout place for years (partially because I worked until 11pm, and it was either that or 24 hour drive-through for dinner). We were a fixture at happy hour at least two nights a week, and even made the trivia top scores a few times.

There's a second branch up in Vancouver, WA, which means crossing the bridge and paying the taxes, but they are equidistant from our place, and don't require dealing with the west side freeways, so we usually hit that one. A few times a year, but it's something.

Since you are over that way - have you been to the new Famous Dave's yet? It's on Nyberg, just east of the I-5. This is another chain place we LOVED back in AZ (and M, initially, back in Wisconsin & Minnesota) and are VERY VERY happy to have one local now. Well, not REALLY local, as we are coming from SE, but more drivable than Tacoma.

[fickleone]

I didn't know there was one in Vancouver. Good to know.

I also haven't tried Famous Dave's. Will have to give it a try!