SUMMERVILLE, S.C. – In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, another major restaurant chain has permanently closed its doors for business – this time in Summerville.
Outside of the former Ryan’s, a buffet-style restaurant located at 1314 North Main St., hangs a sign that reads, “To our valued guests, this location is now closed. Thank you for your business, and we hope to serve you at another location very soon.”
On Nov. 17, the restaurant finished auctioning off its remaining equipment online. Items sold during the auction included a large convection oven, meat saw, stainless steel ice cream machine, ice machine, food steamer, deep fryer, plates, high chairs, dining room tables and more. More than 200 items sold for as little as $5 and as high as $1,100. [To view all of the restaurant’s equipment sold at auction, click here.]
Ryan’s closed its doors to the public more than eight months ago following the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The restaurant is no longer listed on the company’s website under “locations and hours.”
It’s not clear if the chain will open another location in the Lowcountry; however, the Summerville restaurant is not the first to shut down in the Charleston area. Ryan’s previously closed its West Ashley restaurant in Feb. 2016, one of 74 locations that suddenly ceased operations across the United States at the time.
In 2012, the parent company of the chain also shattered six restaurants in South Carolina – including the Ryan’s location on Rivers Avenue in North Charleston – as it struggled through bankruptcy. The chain also shut down its Mount Pleasant location.
According to the chain’s website, the nearest and only Ryan’s restaurant remaining in South Carolina is in North Myrtle Beach; however, it is temporarily closed for business.
VitaNova Brands owns and operates Ryan’s AYCE Marketplace.
According to a survey released by the National Restaurant Association, nearly 1 in 6 restaurants, which represents nearly 100,000 restaurants, is closed either permanently or long-term; nearly 3 million employees are still out of work; and the industry is on track to lose $240 billion in sales by the end of the year.
The survey also found that 40 percent of operators think it is unlikely their restaurant will still be in business six months from now if there are no additional relief packages from the federal government.
“Across the board, from independent owners to multi-unit franchise operators, restaurants are losing money every month, and they continue to struggle to serve their communities and support their employees,” said Tom Bené, President & CEO of the National Restaurant Association.
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