Long John Silver’s Franchisee Liquidation Signals Deepening Pain for Seafood Chains
The last Long John Silver’s in Minnesota shut its doors on April 30. Weeks later its operator filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. The move erased the final trace of the fried-fish brand from the state. It also underscored a broader struggle gripping fast-casual seafood operators and their franchisees.
Uplifted Foods LLC, based in Eagan, Minn., listed up to $100,000 in assets and between $100,000 and $1 million in liabilities when it petitioned the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota on May 29. Court records showed more than $157,000 owed to creditors, including roughly $111,000 to the owners of the Mall of America. The company offered no explanation in its filing. It disclosed no headcount for workers affected by the closure. Just like that. Gone.…