More Illinois Closings? Bankrupt Seafood Chain Shutting Down More

Last month, the news came down that Red Lobster was in deep financial trouble that could only be solved by reorganization in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

After months and months of speculation about whether or not Red Lobster would file for bankruptcy in order to save the entire chain from closing, Red Lobster confirmed things, saying that was exactly what they're going to try to do.

Almost immediately, 99 Red Lobster locations in 28 states were permanently closed, including two spots in Illinois, Bloomingdale and Danville.

Now comes word that more than 100 more Red Lobster locations may be closing soon because of lease problems, and at least two of those 100 could be here in Illinois, maybe more.

In Their Bankruptcy Filings, Red Lobster Said That They Owe Anywhere From $1 Billion To $10 Billion To Over 100,000 Creditors, And They Owe 36,000 Employees Almost $17 Million In Unpaid Wages

It would appear that closing almost 100 locations last month is not going to do the trick for Red Lobster, and they've made it clear that up to 135 additional restaurants across the country, including Illinois, may have to be closed if Red Lobster can't renegotiate those leases.

It's gotten so bad that Red Lobster's massive flagship restaurant in New York's Times Square may be one of the forced closures. Red Lobster has been at that location for over 20 years, but the property owners are looking to increase Red Lobster's rent to $2.2 million per year, or roughly double what's being paid right now.

Here's What All Of This Means To Illinois' Red Lobster Fans

After the closings of two Illinois Red Lobster locations in Bloomingdale and Danville last month, Illinois was left with 21 still-open Red Lobster restaurants.

According to documents, the two additional locations (for the time being, anyway) being looked at for potential closures if leases cannot be renegotiated, are:

• 1604 N. State Road, Route 50, Bourbonnais
• 1901 N. Prospect Ave., Champaign

Florida leads the country in potential closures, with over 20 Red Lobster locations looking at a potential permanent shutdown.