Name it one other symptom of lengthy COVID. After weathering the pandemic, San Antonio-based Jim’s Restaurant has been slowly shedding places, shuttering three of its diners, together with an iconic flagship on Broadway. Now, the native chain is abruptly closing one other restaurant at 11803 Bandera Rd. on August 19.
“With a heavy coronary heart and honest gratitude, we announce the closing of our Bandera and 1604 location,” Jim’s wrote in a late August 7 assertion. “After 27 unbelievable years of serving this group, we have now made the troublesome determination to shut our doorways on account of accessibility challenges introduced on by adjustments to the intersection’s highway design.”
Pandemic shutdowns have been a intestine punch to the once-thriving chain. Though initially provided furloughs, Jim’s staff have been unceremoniously fired by way of postcards in April 2020 when it turned clear that the COVID-19 unfold was not only a momentary blip. Within the years since, the diners have had hassle with staffing, reducing opening hours at some places on account of an worker scarcity.
In April 2021, Jim’s opted to resume its lease at Loop 410 and Blanco. Three years later, it hung up the aprons on its flagship Broadway restaurant and a second outpost at San Pedro and Hildrebrand Avenues. Throughout these years, the heirs of founder Germano “Jim” Hasslocher have been concerned in a squabble over the household fortune.
Jim’s suffered one other setback in February, when a choose ordered the corporate to pay $4 million in damages after a shattered window injured a Schertz couple eating at 8427 Broadway.
Recognized for its Frontier Burger and Googie-style upswept roofs, Jim’s has been a San Antonio establishment since 1963. Though every of the closures was greeted by a wistful social media refrain, the corporate has seemingly been unable to reap the benefits of the nostalgia wave that has revived different acquainted manufacturers like Chili’s. In the meantime, a brand new wave of ideas, like locals Field Road Social and nationwide chain Snooze AM, are resuscitating the diner format with stylish design and booze.
After the August 19 closing, Jim’s will function 10 eating places within the San Antonio space. The chain additionally has three Austin places. However regardless of the chain’s tagline, there is no longer any assure that “there’s at all times Jim’s.”
Although we are going to not be serving you at this location, we stay dedicated to offering the identical heat and distinctive service at one among our 10 different San Antonio Jim’s places,” wrote a Jim’s rep by way of Fb. “We invite you to go to one among our close by eating places, the place our devoted workforce members will proceed to ship the excellent expertise you’ve come to anticipate. You would possibly even see a well-recognized face from our Bandera workforce.”
