Darden Restaurants announced that 14 bahama breeze restaurants will close permanently across nine states, and that the remaining 14 locations will be converted to other Darden brands.
The company said the affected restaurants are scheduled to close on April 5, and it expects to complete conversions within the next 12 to 18 months.
One Washington location in Tukwila, at 15700 Southcenter Parkway, is among the closures and is expected to shut its doors on Sunday April 5.
That Tukwila closure will affect 93 workers, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the Washington State Employment Security Department.
The WARN report says staff from a local Rapid Response Team and WorkSource will contact employees to assist their transition, and that transfer opportunities to other locations will be offered.
The restaurant chain focuses on Caribbean themed fare and drinks, and menu items cited in notices include coconut shrimp, Jamaican jerk mahi mahi and pineapple chicken, with live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Impact And Conversion Plans
Darden said it will convert the remaining Bahama Breeze restaurants into other brands within its portfolio, naming possible brands such as Yard House, Olive Garden and The Capital Grille in one notice.
A separate company statement listed additional Darden brands that could be used for conversions, including LongHorn Steakhouse, Ruth's Chris Steak House and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen.
In Georgia, two addresses were specifically mentioned as affected sites, with one slated to close permanently and the other set for conversion, though the company did not identify which is which.
The Georgia addresses listed were 755 Earnest W. Barrett Parkway NW in Kennesaw and 3590 Breckenridge Boulevard in Duluth.
Darden provided the timeline for conversions and did not disclose which specific brands would replace individual Bahama Breeze locations.
