Roy's Hawaiian Fusion, an upscale offering from Tampa Bay-based OSI has closed its lone Atlanta area location in Buckhead. Founded by Hawaii's first James Beard winner Roy Yamaguchi in 1988, the restaurant started in Hawaii and then expanded to the lower 48 when it was purchased by OSI years later. Located at the corner of Lenox and Piedmont roads in the lobby level of the Marsh building, the restaurant opened in April, 2001 and closed this past weekend. The parent company has been seeking a buyer for the 30 something unit chain since last year but has apparently not yet found a buyer. OSI also owns established chains including Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and smaller chains Bonefish Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. It recently sold its 38-unit Cheeseburger in Paradise chain. The Sembler Company's Perimeter Place project in Dunwoody is home to the most OSI concepts with an Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and the recently sold Cheeseburger in Paradise represented. Having been to the center multiple times, we're not sure Fleming's will make it much longer, as it, like Roy's, is in a higher price bracket and targets a smaller, wealthier demographic. Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You's Wildfire and Orlando-based Darden's Season's 52 seem to be the two exceptions, both continuing to do well at lunch and be fairly busy at dinner as well. (For the record, our favorite is Season's 52 on Peachtree Road in Buckhead) While it's doubtful anyone will be quick to snap up the former Roy's, there's no doubt in our mind this won't be the last of chain closures in Atlanta, and quite possibly one of many in the coming months... Repeat Atlanta!Monday, September 21, 2009
Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Says Aloha In Buckhead, Closes
Roy's Hawaiian Fusion, an upscale offering from Tampa Bay-based OSI has closed its lone Atlanta area location in Buckhead. Founded by Hawaii's first James Beard winner Roy Yamaguchi in 1988, the restaurant started in Hawaii and then expanded to the lower 48 when it was purchased by OSI years later. Located at the corner of Lenox and Piedmont roads in the lobby level of the Marsh building, the restaurant opened in April, 2001 and closed this past weekend. The parent company has been seeking a buyer for the 30 something unit chain since last year but has apparently not yet found a buyer. OSI also owns established chains including Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and smaller chains Bonefish Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. It recently sold its 38-unit Cheeseburger in Paradise chain. The Sembler Company's Perimeter Place project in Dunwoody is home to the most OSI concepts with an Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and the recently sold Cheeseburger in Paradise represented. Having been to the center multiple times, we're not sure Fleming's will make it much longer, as it, like Roy's, is in a higher price bracket and targets a smaller, wealthier demographic. Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You's Wildfire and Orlando-based Darden's Season's 52 seem to be the two exceptions, both continuing to do well at lunch and be fairly busy at dinner as well. (For the record, our favorite is Season's 52 on Peachtree Road in Buckhead) While it's doubtful anyone will be quick to snap up the former Roy's, there's no doubt in our mind this won't be the last of chain closures in Atlanta, and quite possibly one of many in the coming months... Repeat Atlanta!
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Polynesian cuisine is a pretty narrow spectrum. That's how things turn out when you've got to survive on fish and fruit in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Hard to relate that to American palates.
ReplyDeleteA very minimalist approach would probably be better, along the lines of, dare I say, Sakkio Japan (Perimeter Mall food court).
I drove by there late last week, and was wondering if it was still open. It was never packed for business lunches, as it should have been in that location.
ReplyDeleteRectionary, Obviously you haven't been to Roy's or the Hawaiian Islands. Honolulu is a completely modern city with a huge international population. I lived in Hawaii and also worked for Roy's, both had a very broad spectrum. Roy's was just too expensive and in a poor location.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteBefore global trade, Pacific islanders subsisted on the foodstuffs at hand, prepared the way their parents, and their parents, and their parents, etc., prepared them. The fact that you can now get pad thai or an omelette in Honolulu does not change that.