{two of the last remnants of Coliseum Mall [the other one being the Macys building that will be around forever] are shutting down}
Daily Press article below:
Bennigan’s, Steak and Ale restaurants closing
BY MIKE HOLTZCLAW | 757-928-6479
11:13 AM EDT, July 29, 2008
Three local Bennigan’s restaurants and two Steak and Ale restaurants closed their doors today, but it was unclear if the national chains were shutting down permanently in the wake of a bankruptcy filing by their parent company.
There was no official comment, but an employee at one restaurant in Hampton acknowledged that all Steak and Ales and Bennigan’s in the area “are closed indefinitely as of today.”
Both chains are owned by Metromedia Restaurants Group in Plano, Texas, which also operates the Steak and Ale, Ponderosa and Bonanza chains. There was no comment this morning from Metromedia.
Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that Metromedia had violated terms of a loan agreement with GE Capital Solutions and had prepared a bankruptcy filing. The company denied it had prepared such a filing.
Media reports in cities such as Chicago and Denver also describe Metromedia restaurants in those markets closing.