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Friendly's has closed another 23 restaurants in the northeast, including three in the state of Massachusetts, where the company is located, according to a letter sent to franchisees on Monday.
"After an evaluation of several months and careful consideration, we decided to close 23 restaurants owned by the company, with immediate effect," said the general manager, George Michel, in the letter. "Although this decision was difficult, we are confident that this will position the brand better for a bright future."
In Massachusetts, restaurants that have closed are at Framingham (Temple Street), Holden and Waltham. Other sites that are closing include 14 restaurants in upstate New York, three in Connecticut, two in New Hampshire and one in Maine.
In the letter, Michel said that the company "has locations in geographical areas that have changed dramatically in some cases since the opening of these restaurants".
Restaurant workers in the process of being closed will be offered jobs in other Friendly locations, or severance pay and other forms of assistance, Michel said in his letter.
The news also comes after six of the chain's restaurants, including five in New England, were closed at the end of last year.
After the closure, Friendly's will have 174 restaurants – 77 owned by businesses and 97 owned by franchisees.
Friendly's opened in Springfield in 1935 and moved its headquarters to the nearby town of Wilbraham in 1960.
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The following is the complete letter that Michel sent to the franchisees, as provided to the Globe:
April 8, 2019
Dear franchisees,
As we enter the second quarter of 2019, I would like to thank you again for the valuable contribution and ideas you have shared over the last few months as we accelerate efforts to reinvigorate the Friendly brand and chart the way forward. way to follow successfully. demographic change and consumer preferences, increased competition and rising costs. Within this sectoral dynamic, our responsibility is to ensure that our beloved brand remains not only relevant to existing audiences, but continues to resonate with new generations of customers and that our business is structured to support long-term sustainability.
Although much work remains to be done, we are encouraged by the momentum we generate. The energy and enthusiasm generated by the projects we unveiled at our February meeting were both rewarding and inspiring, as we seek to reinvigorate our marketing efforts with the addition of a new directory of products. agencies, updating our menu, developing delivery and catering solutions, and enhancing the overall dining experience for our customers.
As we mentioned earlier this year, we have launched a strategic assessment of the footprint of our company owned restaurants, with the aim of maintaining viability and optimizing the operations. investments in resources. In today's environment, it is incumbent on all restaurateurs to engage in such a process, but especially that of Friendly's, which, as an established brand, has locations in geographical areas that have radically changed. changed since the opening of these restaurants. After an evaluation of several months and careful consideration, we decided to close 23 restaurants owned by the company, with immediate effect. Although this decision was difficult to make, we are confident that this will better position the brand for a bright future. The impact of these closures on the wonderful employees of the sites, whether we work to support opportunities at other sites or severance pay and other forms of support, is particularly difficult.
Among the closed sites are 14 restaurants in upstate New York, three in Massachusetts, three in Connecticut, two in New Hampshire and one in Maine. A complete list is included at the end of this letter. Following these actions, Friendly's will have 77 corporate restaurants and 97 franchised restaurants.
In the future, we are committed to continuing to work closely with you to improve the overall experience of our Friendly customers. Thank you again for your support and your valuable contribution.
As always, please contact me if you have any questions.
Regards,
George
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