28 Springs closes in downtown Siloam Springs; Simmons Foods moving in
by June 25, 2023 9:08 am 4,138 views
28 Springs at 100 E. University St. in Siloam Springs recently closed after operating for 11 years.
Siloam Springs restaurant 28 Springs recently closed after operating for 11 years. The restaurant building will become the new home for the research and development team of Siloam Springs-based Simmons Foods Inc.
The restaurant at 100 E. University St. closed on June 6, and about 30 staff were laid off. By this fall, about 70 employees of Simmons Foods’ technical services team will work in the nearly 7,500-square-foot space after renovations to accommodate workstations.
Craig Bacon, senior vice president of technical services for Simmons Foods, said those affected by the restaurant closure were offered severance. He noted that the prepared foods segment of Simmons Foods acquired the restaurant about five years ago and has since hosted foodservice industry customers there for events.
No plans are in the works to open the restaurant elsewhere, and it’s expected to continue hosting customers there while providing space for research and development. The employees moving into the restaurant building will be moving from other offices.
“We frankly really need space,” Bacon said. “While that was not the reason the restaurant closed, with the space becoming available, it made a lot of sense to put us all together.”
The restaurant was successful, starting with chef Miles James and later, chef Kurt Plankenhorn; however, it was too large and unique for Siloam Springs, said Bacon, adding that it likely would’ve been “wildly successful” in some larger Northwest Arkansas cities.
28 Springs opened in summer 2012. In 2021, the restaurant added Roost, a pop-up restaurant, to the menu as it looked to broaden its customer base.
“The talented chefs and staff at 28 Springs and the Roost brought a unique dining experience to downtown Siloam Springs, representing the best of bringing good relationships and good food together,” said David Jackson, chief operating officer of Simmons Foods. “Business decisions that impact people are difficult. This decision was necessary for Simmons to meet the needs of our R&D team members, which enables us to serve our customers effectively.”