Bob Evans closes its Rogers restaurant

The Bob Evans restaurant in Rogers has closed as one of 20 underperforming sites shuttered by the Ohio-based this year. The windows have been boarded up and a sign on the premise states the that building will be auctioned via the internet on Sept. 3.

Officials with Bob Evans announced plans to close 20 restaurants back in April. Most of the locations were shuttered by May 31. The Rogers location closed in July.

"Closing a restaurant is a difficult decision as it directly impacts our guests and employees. These restaurants, however, despite efforts to improve performance, were not meeting expectations. Bob Evans Farms is committed to assisting impacted employees by offering positions in nearby restaurants where possible. In cases where relocation is not possible, severance benefits will be offered to full-time and part-time employees,” said Mark Hood, chief financial officer for the company.

He said the company will immediately seek to sell these properties, with net proceeds estimated between $15.0 and $17.0 million.  

Although restaurants subject to closure generated approximately $20 million of annual revenue, this action is expected to improve annual operating income by approximately $2.5 to $3.0 million.