Difficult Economy Shuts Down Hardee’s Restaurant In Austin

Postbulletin.com:

The Hardee’s restaurant in Austin closed this week after the company decided not to renew its lease, citing economic hardship.

The fast-food restaurant famous for its Angus beef Thickburgers permanently closed its doors on Monday.

Tia Kenison, general manager of the restaurant, said the building lease was up, and the company chose not to renew it.

The restaurant was located at 1300 14th St. N.W., across from Riverland Community College. It is one of 18 franchised Hardee’s restaurants in Minnesota, northern Iowa and western Wisconsin operated by Minneapolis-based MRG Management, a franchisee of Hardee’s Food Systems Inc.

Mike Hoff, operating partner at MRG, said the difficult economy played into the decision to close Austin’s only Hardee’s restaurant.

“We felt that we did not want to extend the lease for another 10 years,” said Hoff. “Times are tough these days. We loved being in Austin, but costs have gone up. It’s just a difficult economic time and we had to make a business decision.”

About 30 people were employed at the restaurant.

The closing marks the second time in about four years that the city has lost a Hardee’s restaurant.

Logo from MRG Management.