Furr's

Furr's (also known as Furr's Cafeteria, Furr's Family Dining, Furr's Fresh Buffet, and Furr's All-You-Can-Eat Marketplace) is a defunct chain of family restaurants in the United States started by Roy Furr. The first location opened in 1946 in Hobbs, New Mexico. For many decades, Furr's was known for cafeteria-style dining but eventually redeveloped into buffet-style dining.

Furr's
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryFood
Founded1946 (1946) in Hobbs, New Mexico, U.S.
DefunctApril 1, 2021 (2021-04-01)
FateFiled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Headquarters
San Antonio, Texas
,
U.S.
ParentIndependent (1946–1980 and 2000–2003)
Kmart (1980–1988)
Limited National Partnership (1988–2000)
CIC-Buffet Partners (2003–2014)
Food Management Partners (2014–2020)
Fresh Acquisitions, LLC (2020–2021)
Websitefurrs.net at the Wayback Machine (archived 13 March 2021)
Furr's sign after demolition of the last Colorado location

History

In 1946, brothers Roy and Key Furr founded the first Furr's restaurant, which opened in Hobbs in southeastern New Mexico. A second location was opened in Odessa, Texas, in 1947.

Furr's was purchased by the Kmart Corp. in 1980,[1] and subsequently sold by Kmart to Michael Levenson's Limited National Partnership in 1988.

In 1998, its corporate history was notable for having its board of directors ousted by an institutional investor TIAA-CREF.

In 2000, the company established a new name, Furr's Restaurant Group.[2] In December 2002, Furr's closed its two locations in Las Vegas as part of a corporate downsizing plan to close 11 under-performing restaurants across the United States by the end of the year.[3][4] The company reorganized under Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2003.[5] Shortly afterward, the company was sold to a private investment firm, CIC-Buffet Partners, an affiliate of Cardinal Investment Co.[6]

In January 2014, Furr's closed several locations, including Las Cruces, New Mexico,[7] Big Spring, Texas,[8] Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and Wichita, Kansas.[9] "We are closed for business," says assistant general manager Tim Arnoldussen. "It’s just a corporate decision."[10]

In June 2014, Furr's Fresh Buffet was sold to a San Antonio company (Food Management Partners), which planned to begin opening new sites.[11] The following year, the parent company of Furr's acquired Ovation Brands.

In April 2019, a Furr's location closed unexpectedly in Plainview, Texas.[12] On August 26, 2019, another Furr's location did the same in Lubbock, Texas across from the South Plains Mall.

In April 2021, Furr's parent companies Fresh Acquisitions LLC and Buffets LLC had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and all Furr's were permanently closed.[13][14]

References
  1. Yoshihara, Nancy (January 28, 1985). "K mart Breaks Away From Its Pattern of 1960s". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 13, 2015.
  2. "Furr's Restaurant Group, Inc". IGHRM. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
  3. "Two Vegas cafeterias close". Las Vegas Sun. December 20, 2002. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
  4. Smith, John L. (December 20, 2002). "Closure of Furr's cafeterias leaves longtime workers, clientele in the lurch". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on March 20, 2005.
  5. "Furr's files reorganization plan". Dallas Business Journal. April 4, 2003. Retrieved 2011-12-07.
  6. "Furr's Restaurant Group to sell 54 restaurants". Amarillo Globe-News. 2003-07-15. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
  7. Stockberger, Brook. "Furr's Fresh Buffet in Las Cruces closes". Sun-News report. The Las Cruces Sun-News. Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  8. "Furr's in Big Spring to be Demolished, New Businesses Coming". Staff Report/Mike Henry/KBYG. 31 March 2014. Archived from the original on 10 December 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  9. Calhoun, Patricia. "Furr's could be gone for good from Colorado". Denver Westword, LLC. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2014-01-29.
  10. Rengers, Carrie. "Last Furr's Family Dining restaurant closes WICHITA — The last remaining Furr's Family Dining restaurant in Wichita has closed". The Wichita Eagle. Archived from the original on 19 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  11. "Furr's Fresh Buffet sold to San Antonio company". Dallas News. June 2014. Archived from the original on 2018-10-09. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  12. "Furr's in Plainview Closes Unexpectedly". KFYO (AM). April 15, 2019. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  13. "The parent of Old Country Buffet and Furr's declares bankruptcy".
  14. "Slice of Americana fades as Furr's goes bankrupt". 27 April 2021.
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