CULLMAN – A spokesperson for Ruby Tuesday this morning confirmed that the chain's Cullman location is not on the list for closure. The company announced earlier in August that it will close 95 restaurants by September.
Ruby Tuesday spokeswoman Christine Beggan said this morning, "No. That (Cullman) location is not on the list to be closed."
The closures were announced at the same time as the "Fresh Start" initiative, which the company says is its plan to "streamline the organization, improve financial profitability and create long-term value for shareholders."
In a statement given to The Tribune after the company made its initial announcement, Ruby Tuesday said, “Our Fresh Start Initiative is designed to improve our financial profitability and ultimately create a stronger Ruby Tuesday for the future. While the decision to close restaurants has been extremely difficult, it is a necessary step as we take aggressive actions to strengthen our organization."
The Ruby Tuesday system includes 724 restaurants, 646 of which are company-owned.
Ruby Tuesday Inc. Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer J.J. Buettgen said, “Our fourth quarter was impacted by softness in the casual dining industry and increased promotional activity by our peers. Given that we expect the macro environment to remain challenging for some time, we are taking the necessary steps to change the trajectory of our business.”
"The decision to close restaurants is a difficult but necessary step as we take aggressive actions to strengthen our organization," said Buettgen."Performance at each of these locations, despite the loyalty of valued guests and the efforts of our dedicated employees, was not meeting expectations."
Buettgen says that full-time and part-time employees impacted by the closures will be offered positions in nearby restaurants where possible.
Ruby Tuesday in Cullman is located at 6076 Alabama Highway 157, right off exit 310.
Another Cullman restaurant, Logan's Roadhouse, was also recently spared, when its parent company filed bankruptcy and closed 21 locations.
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