A beloved restaurant and brewery now makes an unexpected closure after 50 years in business, leaving only a few operations.
The Ram Restaurant & Brewery opened its first location in February of 1971 in Lakewood, Washington.
The chain came to Salem in 1979 and opened the franchise’s first brewery in 1995, marking one of the first microbreweries in the city.
The building has a long communal history, operating as a beer parlor in the 1940s and 50s, before becoming a tavern in 1963, according to the Willamette Heritage Center.
Jeff Iverson, the CEO of RAM Restaurant Group told the local Salem outlet, the Salem Reporter, that there were a “number of factors” that contributed to the closing.
“We have been searching for a new location and will continue to do so,” he added.
Iverson added that some employees have been transferred to another location, but did not elaborate on how many were left without a job.
He added that employees would be rehired once a new location is secured.
“Our intent was to remain open for a week of ‘celebrations and thank yous’ but after speaking with the team Tuesday morning it became apparent that that would not be possible,” Iverson told the publication on Wednesday.
The CEO added that he was grateful to the Salem community for allowing the restaurant to serve them for five decades.
The location was a popular destination for university students in the area.
Iverson also manages the Salem Ram Cafe Land Company, which owns the building.
The RAM Restaurant & Brewery is still expected to operate at its 12 other locations across the northwest.
The Medford and Wilsonville locations will keep their doors open for Oregon customers.
Menus differ slightly from each location, but customers can find similar American-style options for sandwiches, burgers, cocktails, and beer on tap, reports The-Sun.
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Also Read: An Unexpected Retailer Is Now Closing All Stores in Illinois
Other Economy News Today
An unexpected restaurant now abruptly closes 7 locations in one state after revealing plans to shutter a total of 36.
TGI Fridays is closing a total of seven restaurants in one state as part of the company’s ongoing growth strategy.
This comes after the chain abruptly closed 36 locations across 12 states in at the beginning of the year, per The-Sun.
The restaurant chain will pull the plug on seven locations across the state of New Jersey in the coming weeks.
Today, Fridays will welcome in famished diners at its location in Brick for the final time.
“As we continue along our path of transformation to revitalize the Fridays brand and implement a long-term growth strategy, we see a bright future for TGI Fridays,” said Weldon Spangler, CEO of TGI Fridays earlier this week.
“We are at the helm of a pivotal moment that will allow us to explore boundless advancement, expansion, and innovation to keep delivering ‘That Fridays Feeling’ that our fans know and love.”
Before the closures, TGI Fridays had about 270 US locations, according to the company’s website.
“As part of the store closures, TGI Fridays is offering more than 1,000 transfer opportunities, which represents over 80% of total impacted employees,” the company previously said in a statement.
“Our top priority has always been delivering a superior experience for each and every TGI Fridays guest, and we’ve identified opportunities to optimize and streamline our operations to ensure we are best positioned to meet – and exceed – on that brand promise,” said Ray Risley, US president and chief operating officer, in the release.
Eight other locations were sold to former CEO Ray Blanchette, a longtime stakeholder who will acquire the previously corporate-owned restaurants.
The sale comes as major changes have been made to the brand’s leadership, including the news of Weldon Spangler being made CEO.
“As we continue along our path of transformation to revitalize the Fridays brand and implement a long-term growth strategy, we see a bright future for TGI Fridays,” said Spangler in a statement.
Also Read: Retirees Will Now Receive More Money For Social Security
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