Uncle Bubba's Oyster House, which is owned by Paula Deen has abruptly closed today. Uncle Bubba's was named after Paula's brother, and some actions in that restaurant helped trigger the deposition of Paula Deen and her eventual downfall. WTOC in Georgia is reporting:"UNCLE BUBBA'S CLOSED SUDDENLY! The official Facebook page for Uncle Bubba's Seafood & Oyster House, Savannah GA is thanking everyone for 10 years of service and they are now closed. Workers are in a meeting right now. I have been told there is a barricade of cops in front of the restaurant not letting anyone in besides the employees for a meeting. The sign upfront is gone. Stay tuned..."The Uncle Bubba's website and Facebook page has a very descriptive and heartfelt message that says, "Thank you for 10 great years. Uncle Bubba's is now closed."
If more develops about the reason behind the closing, I will update this post.
UPDATE - WTOC has received a statement from Uncle Bubba's that says:
"Since its opening in 2004, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House has been a destination for residents and tourists in Savannah, offering the region's freshest seafood and oysters. However, the restaurant's owner and operator, Bubba Heirs, has made the decision to close the restaurant in order to explore development options for the waterfront property on which the restaurant is located. At this point, no specific plans have been announced and a range of uses are under consideration in order realize the highest and best use for the property.
The closing is effective today, Thursday, April 3, 2014. Employees will be provided with severance based on position and tenure with the restaurant. All effort will be made to find employees comparable employment with other Savannah restaurant organizations.
Jaret T. Keller
Key Group Worldwide"