Golden Corral in Boardman closes

Staff report

BOARDMAN

The Golden Corral restaurant on U.S. Route 224 here has closed, according to Bob McDevitt, Golden Corral’s senior vice president for franchising.

The all-you-can-eat buffet was operated by independent franchisee Dan Gentile, who informed McDevitt on Tuesday that he decided to close the restaurant.

“Frankly, as busy as it seems, the restaurant did not perform up to his expectations,” McDevitt said, adding that the winter weather also played a role.

Gentile could not be reached to comment Thursday.

McDevitt said Golden Corral hopes to reopen the store, but that process could take months. He said the company is reaching out to other franchisees in the area who are looking to expand.

“That won’t happen fast. It never does,” McDevitt said.

“Given the circumstances, it may stay closed,” he said.

Golden Corral has been operating restaurants since 1973, and the company began franchising in 1986. Of the 490 restaurants across the country, 370 are franchises and 120 are operated by the company, McDevitt said.

Franchise owners obtain a license to operate the Golden Corral brand, and have access to new products, advertising and promotions, which are all handled by the company. They are otherwise independent of the Raleigh, N.C.-based company.