For Leighann Bellew, Piccadilly cafeteria on Northwest 13th Street was the go-to place for good chocolate cake.
But on Sunday, the 13th Street location closed its doors for good, leaving the 21-year-old UF theater senior without her devil’s food cake.
The Baton Rouge-based restaurant chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Sept. 12 after an “aggressive legal maneuver” by the company’s lender, Atalaya Capital Management, according to a press release.
Piccadilly, founded in 1944, has about 80 restaurants throughout the Southeast, the release stated.
“When it comes to our team members and guests, closing a Piccadilly restaurant is the last option that we want to consider,” said regional manager Frank Frantom in a statement. “However, it is necessary to ensure a continuation of the Piccadilly brand.”
Frantom said the company will try to place employees from the 13th Street location at other Piccadilly restaurants.
Mark Rush, a UF economics professor, said Piccadilly is no exception to the tough restaurant economy.
“It’s always a hard time being in the restaurant business,” he said, “and it’s been harder in the last few years.”
From the time a student enters UF as a freshman to the time of graduation, Rush said that restaurant section of the phonebook will see significant change because “restaurants come and go.”
For Bellew, Piccadilly’s end is a sad one.
“It’s not like I went there all the time,” she said, “but it was a nice place to go.”
Piccadilly Cafeteria, 2620 NW 13th St., closed Sunday. The company filed for bankruptcy following an “aggressive legal maneuver” by the company’s lender.
