A BELOVED Olive Garden location has been flattened after it permanently shut down – making way for a brand new property development.
The Italian-American diner closed its doors after selling the site for over a whopping $10million.
The Olive Garden in Old Town Scottsdale has been flattened after being shut down[/caption]
The location in Arizona was sold by parent company Darden Restaurants in 2022 to Empire Group.
And the firm are now constructing the Osborn – a 226-unit luxury senior living development in Old Town Scottsdale.
The exact location of the now demolished site was 3380 N. Scottsdale Road, on the southwest corner of Osborne and Scottsdale roads.
This is where the new construction is now being built.
Aspirant Development, an arm of Scottsdale-based Empire Group, is building the project.
It will include 118 active adult units, 74 assisted living units and 34 memory care units.
And it will also feature retail and restaurant space open to both the public and Osborn residents on the ground floor.
In May, the popular restaurant chain’s owner shocked customers and employees when it suddenly shuttered a third of its locations.
While popular for years, Darden Restaurants’ Bahama Breeze saw a 7.7% sales decline in 2024, per CNN.
Amid the struggles, Bahama Breeze decided to abruptly axe at least 15 locations, about a third of its footprint.
Before the closures, Bahama Breeze had expanded to 43 restaurants nationwide by 2014 after its humble beginnings in Orlando, Florida.
The affected locations were in Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee.
And in June, the parent company announced it was looking to “sell off” all restaurants after shutting the 15 Bahama Breeze locations.
Darden Restaurants CEO Rick Cardenas confirmed the company has made the decision to stop investing in all Bahama Breeze locations effective immediately, a chain known for its Caribbean inspired cuisine and tropical atmosphere.
The boss said: “We have made the difficult decision that these remaining locations are not a strategic priority for us.
“We also believe this brand and these restaurants have the potential to benefit from a new owner.
“Consequently, we will be considering strategic alternatives for Bahama Breeze.”
The beloved chain closed one of its sites[/caption]
