Indiana and Illinois Locations Among New Red Lobster Closures

Over the last several months, I have seen any number of stories about the troubles the iconic seafood chain Red Lobster is facing, and it kind of makes me sad.

I have wonderful memories of my family’s trips to Evansville when I was a kid. Sure, that doesn’t sound like much of a big deal now, but when we were kids, my sister and I loved visiting a bigger city. And it’s just about 40 miles away, so our Saturday night “getaways” were borderline frequent.

Troubled Red Lobster Is Still a Personal Nostalgia Hit

One spot we would often visit was the Red Lobster on Bellemeade Avenue, and it’s still there. That was the first Red Lobster I ever visited, so I get a little nostalgic whenever I pass it today. (Of course, in context, an empty parking lot isn’t exactly the best of optics, but that is not the Indiana location currently the chopping block.)

No, this Evansville Red Lobster remains safe, and besides, I seldom drive by there when it’s open that I don’t see a full lot.

But a Red Lobster in Michigan City IS on the chopping block, according to CBS News, and is joined by 22 others, including three in Illinois–in Peoria, Bourbonnais, and Geneva–plus more in nearby Missouri and Ohio.

Why Red Lobsters Are Closing

Red Lobster’s woes have long been documented. Forbes reports that as far back as 2014, owners began making efforts to sell the chain. And on May 19th of this year, Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy after shuttering nearly 100 of its locations the previous week.

The answers to why the chain is closing so many locations might very well be subjective, but Forbes takes aim at a possible cause: MONEY. I’d say it’s a solid educated guess.

My family was never wealthy; we were the epitome of the middle class. Yet, we found ourselves dining at Red Lobster frequently in the 80s. But today, it’s quite possible that Red Lobster is considered a luxury; I mean, a typically VERY expensive menu item IS in its name. And Americans’ financial issues have been well-documented, of late.

Whatever the cause, Red Lobsters are closing right and left–129 and counting, as a matter of fact. And it remains to be seen when the bleeding will stop.