Darden gets Grady's sites for new Smokey Bones

Nation's Restaurant News,  May 27, 2002  

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MISHAWAKA, IND. -- Quality Dining Inc. closed on the sale of nine of its Grady's American Grill restaurants in Florida and Georgia for $10.45 million to Darden Restaurants, which will convert eight of the sites to its Smokey Bones BBQ Sports Bar concept.

Darden, which has 13 Smokey Bones units in operation, obtained six owned and three leased Grady's sites in Plantation, Fort Myers, Brandon, Boca Raton and Miami, Fla., and Dunwoody, Duluth, Kennesaw and Alpharetta, Ga. Eight of the sites will become Smokey Bones units, while the Miami site will be converted into a Red Lobster.

Quality now operates 23 Grady's, five Papa Vino's and three Spageddies Italian Kitchens, 116 Burger Kings and 33 Chili's units.

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