Bahama Breeze in Cherry Hill Closes Its Doors

Bahama Breeze's Cherry Hill location in New Jersey closed abruptly on Monday, March 16.

According to The Patch of Cherry Hill, the Cherry Hill Mall restaurant was originally planned to operate through Sunday, April 5. At that time, approximately 100 layoffs at the location were anticipated to take effect.

Spokesperson Rich Jeffers with Darden Restaurants, which owns the Bahama Breeze chain, told the Patch that the company was unable to keep staff at the location until April 5. Approximately 30 team members were laid off and will be paid through April 12 and receive severance, Jeffers said. The remainder either took jobs at other Darden restaurants or left the company for other opportunities.

"Thank you for welcoming us into your community and for letting us be part of so many moments, big and small," the chain said in its goodbye message to the Township posted on social media.

The Cherry Hill closure follows from a broader announcement Darden issued on Feb. 3 that it would be shuttering all of the brand's locations to explore "strategic alternatives." Those alternatives included converting some sites to other brands in its portfolio.

"The company believes the conversion locations are great sites that will benefit several of the brands in its portfolio," Darden officials stated in a press release. "Going forward, the primary focus will continue to be on supporting team members, including placing as many as possible in roles within the Darden portfolio."

According to the Patch, Darden founded Bahama Breeze approximately three decades ago. The company owns several restaurant chains with locations at or near the Cherry Hill mall, including the Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, and Eddie V's Prime Seafood.