‘Well, blow me down ... ’Popeyes hoists anchor and closes doors
Posted on Wednesday, October 8, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/hl/News/25742/
Residents looking for their jambalaya fix from Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits will now have to leave the city to satisfy the craving.
The Cajun-food chicken restaurant closed last Sunday because sales have been down, said Brian Smith, chief executive officer of Smitco Eateries Inc. in Fayetteville.
About 10 employees lost their jobs — three full-time and seven part-time employees. Some transferred to other restaurant locations in Northwest Arkansas.
“ Sales volumes got so low that we could no longer survive, ” Smith said. “ We will not reopen. ”
Employees knew that the restaurant was not doing well enough to survive for some time, he said.
Sales have been down for the past eight to 10 months.
Popeyes restaurants don’t do well in small communities, Smith said.
The other locations he owns in Northwest Arkansas are doing fine.
The restaurant here opened in February 2006.