Krystal closes two Jacksonville restaurants
Fast-food burger joints boarded up in Mandarin and on Southside
Citing a nationwide corporate strategy, Krystal has permanently closed two of its Jacksonville fast-food burger restaurants — one each in Mandarin and on the Southside.
Closed Oct. 5 were the restaurants at 9840 San Jose Blvd. in Mandarin and 3515 St. Johns Bluff Road South on the Southside.
"Strategic store closures like these allow us to reposition resources to support other Krystal locations," the company said in a prepared statement. "Through these efforts, our remaining restaurants will help to strengthen our brand and better serve our Jacksonville customers."
The company also said "there's no planned reduction in staffing, because we give team members the opportunity to relocate to the Krystal of their choice."
Eleven other Jacksonville-area locations remain open, according to Krystal's website.
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Krystal is the most recent restaurant to close its doors in the Mandarin area.
After 40 years, Famous Amos at 10339 San Jose Blvd. closed in June. Before that, the last Village Inn restaurant in Jacksonville, at 10140 San Jose Blvd., closed in March 2016.
Krystal has been closing some of its restaurants nationwide this year, news media reports show.
In March, Krystal announced a revitalization plan involving the overhaul/redevelopment of about 75 to 100 of its company-owned restaurants over the next five years. That represents nearly half of Krystal's portfolio of company-owned restaurants, according to QSR magazine, which focuses on the quick service and fast casual restaurant industry.
The company said all nine employees from the Mandarin restaurant chose to relocate to another Krystal location, while 11 of the 21 employees from the St. Johns Bluff Road site chose to transfer.
Teresa Stepzinski: (904) 359-4075