Darden’s Smokey Bones Chain To Be Sold To Private-Equity Firm

The Wall Street Journal:

Darden Restaurants Inc. will sell its struggling Smokey Bones Barbeque & Grill chain stores to an affiliate of private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners for $80 million.

The deal for the 73-store chain – slated to close within 45 days – comes after Orlando-based Darden decided in May it would jettison the underperforming brand.