Golden Corral will soon close its location in Independence.
Jenna Thompson
jthompson@kcstar.com
“So are the rumors true?” a diner asked a Golden Corral employee Friday before entering the lunch buffet line.
“Yes, we’re closing,” he replied.
Independence diners: use your Golden Corral gift cards before next week. Sunday, Oct. 4, is the last day of operation for the 19120 E Valley View Parkway restaurant.
Two managers confirmed to The Star Friday afternoon that the location was winding down this weekend.
The all-you-can eat buffet has been open for about 15 years, property records and newspaper archives indicate.
Luckily, employees at the two other locations — 8800 N. Skyview Ave. and 13440 S. Blackbob Road in Olathe — told The Star those spots were not closing, to their knowledge.
The Star contacted Golden Corral’s corporate office for comment, but did not hear back.
The Independence location isn’t an anomaly. The brand is closing several other locations across the country, according to TheStreet. Those spots are in Ohio, Illinois, Texas and Florida.
While Golden Corral itself has not filed for bankruptcy, some franchises have, including one in Conroe, Texas (outside of Houston). Golden Corral is a privately held company and does not release financial reports.
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Jenna Thompson
The Kansas City Star
Jenna Thompson covers retail news for The Kansas City Star. A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she previously reported for the Lincoln Journal Star and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism and English.
Dining and Cooking