Retail News: Two more Fuddruckers closer to closing, including one in a former Arbys

So, let’s start off this post with the elephant in the room, Fuddruckers as a chain is not going out of business. Luby’s Inc is in the process of liquidation, but they have yet to announce final closing dates for corporate owned stores. While the sale of any remaining Luby’s Cafeterias is low to unlikely, Fuddruckers locations have been somewhat easier to unload. With the majority going to a company named Black Titan LLC, along with the iconic Memorial City location going to former Luby’s Inc CEO Chris Pappas, and many other locations already under franchisee ownership. As part of the liquidation process at some point the Fuddruckers name, branding, recipes, etc… will be sold off and the franchisees will simply change who they write their licensing checks to. Any stores still under Luby’s Inc ownership have a very slim chance of surviving. While Luby’s is still trying to sell these stores, they seem to be having trouble finding buyers. During the initial phases of liquidation, some locations were being listed as real estate only, but would continue to operate until a buyer was found. The first group of locations to be put up for sale as real estate as reported back in February included four free standing locations. However, about 2 weeks ago another two locations which had been for sale as entire units were converted into “Former Fuddruckers” listings, meaning they are now being sold for the real estate only. These are 7724 Louetta in Spring, 25407 Bell Patna and an outparcel of Katy Mills Mall.

Well now that we have the news out of the way, let’s get onto what this blog post was originally about. Today we visit a corporate owned Fuddruckers in a very unusual building, 7724 Louetta was built in 2001 as an Arby’s and had a decent run of just under 10 years before closing in 2010 along with a few other suburban Arby’s locations in what were presumably part of a franchisee shake up. This store sat vacant for about a year before being purchased outright by Luby’s in 2011. A year prior to that, Luby’s had purchased Fuddruckers, and began to co-locate new Fuddruckers inside larger Luby’s locations, often giving up the drive-thru to the new restaurant. While I can’t find any official press releases on this, I’m guessing this store must have been inspired somewhat by the success of a drive-thru at Fuddruckers. According to online postings, the location opened in late 2012. During the early 2010s it seemed to outside chains would be the saving grace of Luby’s Inc. While this never came to be, we did at least get an interesting concept out of it. Other than the expanded dining room, this building still highly resembles an Arby’s on the outside, the inside however is a different story, so let’s take a look.

2 comments

  1. I used to drive on Louetta quite often back during the time that the Arby’s got converted into the Fuddruckers. I thought that was a very strange conversion at the time. I suppose the idea of an Arby’s turning into a Fuddruckers is still strange even a decade later! I never did visit this Fuddruckers or the Arby’s so it’s interesting to get a look inside it via the photos on the blog post.

  2. I cannot imagine having the patience to wait for a Fuddruckers hamburger in a drive thru… but I said the same thing about Steak ‘N Shake and look wher… OK, bad example.

    Very unique and cool-looking location, but I cannot say I’m really surprised it hasn’t piqued the interest of franchisees who are used to operating their Fudds in very different spaces and without a drive thru.

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