Mums the word about Zaxby’s

Published 9:05 pm Monday, March 16, 2009

The Zaxby’s at 618 Highland Ave. unexpectedly closed March 10, along with locations at 4383 Courtney Dr. in Tuscaloosa and 5420 McFarland Blvd. in Northport. Risk management director Debbie Andrews said the closings are not related to public health concerns, but she did not disclose why the locations closed.

“It is company policy not to publicly discuss the business operations of individual Zaxby’s restaurant locations,” Andrews said. “Zaxby’s hopes to see these locations reopen in the future.”

Pieces of paper stating, “Closed Temporarily. Will reopen soon under new management,” were taped on the doors, drive-thru loudspeaker and drive-thru window.

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According to the Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce’s records, Janna Burke of Tuscaloosa owned the Selma location. Burke did not return telephone calls.

Zaxby’s, which is headquartered in Athens, Ga., has hundreds of locations stretching across the southeast from Texas to Virginia. The restaurant was founded in 1990, and the company began franchising in 1994.

Chamber of Commerce chairman Jim Truax said he had not heard when the restaurant would open. The owner of Butler Truax Jewelers on Broad Street said he first heard about the closing when some of his employees unsuccessfully attempted to eat lunch at Zaxby’s recently. He said his employees also told him about the papers taped to the doors.

Truax said he did notice one thing about the building when he drove past it.

“The power’s still on,” he said. “You drive by there at night and the lamps above the table are on. That all seems good to me.”