JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – It’s the end of an era for a beloved Jacksonville Beach restaurant.
On Monday, the COO of Joe’s Crab Shack confirmed to News4JAX that the restaurant will be closing and converted into a Bubba Gump Shrimp Company location.
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“We are grateful to our dedicated Joe’s Crab Shack team members and will be working to place employees at nearby restaurants while we transition the location to a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co‚” Terry Turney, the COO of Joe’s Crab Shack, said to News4JAX in a statement.
The full statement sent to News4JAX can be read below.
Joe’s Crab Shack in Jacksonville will be converted into a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., bringing the brand’s scratch-made, Southern-style seafood to the market. We are grateful to our dedicated Joe’s Crab Shack team members and will be working to place employees at nearby restaurants while we transition the location to a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Terry Turney, COO of Joe's Crab Shack
The confirmation comes after a Facebook post on “The Scoop with Jax Restaurant Reviews” sparked speculation of the closure on Jan. 9.
The comments section of the post was filled with a variety of feedback, ranging from people who were happy with the change to people who wished that a different restaurant had been selected to fill the void.
News4JAX asked when Joe’s Crab Shack’s Jacksonville Beach location, 6 Beach Blvd, would specifically be closing, and did not immediately receive a response, but according to our news partners at the Jacksonville Daily Record, the restaurant will close on Jan. 24.
According to their website, the seafood chain has 15 active restaurants; however, that includes the Jacksonville location that is slated to close soon.
As for Bubba Gump Shrimp, their website lists 20 active locations in the U.S., with 10 other locations internationally. The brand was inspired by the iconic 1994 film “Forrest Gump,” starring Tom Hanks.
Both restaurants are owned by Landry’s Inc., a large hospitality and entertainment company owned by Fertitta Entertainment, which is owned by U.S. Ambassador to Italy Tilman Fertitta.