Bennigan’s Fights Its Way Back

Chicago Sun-Times:

Service manager Walter Thomas had worked at the Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern restaurant at 150 S. Michigan for 16 years before the store abruptly shut last July.

This week, he’s among the staffers rehired at the popular spot prepping for its St. Patrick’s Day coming-out Tuesday.
The store — the failed chain’s best performer — is back in business.

“I had been praying and praying. I have a family, home, two cars and was always worried how are we going to work this out and make it,” he said.

A team of investors, led by Lincoln, Neb., franchisee Joshua Westling, quietly opened the store with limited hours in December after assuming the lease in October, when Dallas-based Atalaya Capital Management bought Bennigan’s out of bankruptcy.

Photo: Brian Jackson / Sun-Times.

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