NORTH PORT — The Wendy’s off of Sumter Boulevard and U.S. 41 in North Port is permanently closed, the sign reads.
A green dumpster filled with restaurant furniture and a handwritten notice on the second drive-thru window are quietly announcing the closure to anyone craving a Baconator.
They will need to go elsewhere now.
“This location is permanently closed,” the note on copy paper reads, with the word “closed” highlighted in yellow.
It then lists alternate locations at the following addresses:
1018 Technology Ave., North Port19680 Cochran Blvd., Port Charlotte13417 S. McCall Road, Port Charlotte
The inside of the eatery is gutted, with most of the furniture and appliances already gone.
On Dec. 24, RetailWire reported that Wendy’s would be closing 140 locations by the end 2024.
But the North Port Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Gunnin, who had not yet heard about the Wendy’s closure, said it may be due to something else — a potential expansion of the Cocoplum Village Shops.