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Paula Deen Shutters Savannah’s Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box

They intend to concentrate operations at four Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen outposts across Tennessee, South Carolina and Missouri following the unannounced closures.

Paula Deen, pictured last year, has abruptly closed two of her restaurants in Savannah, Georgia.
Paula Deen at Build to discuss her new cookbook "At The Southern Table With Paula Deen" at Build Studio on Sept. 22, 2017 in New York City.
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Paula Deen (inset) announced the closure of her Savannah, Ga. restaurant The Lady and Sons. (AP; Getty)

Overview

  • The Lady & Sons had been a Savannah staple since 1996 while The Chicken Box launched in 2023; both closed suddenly on July 31 without prior notice.
  • Their statement refrained from explaining the motive behind the shutdown but thanked diners and staff for 36 years of support and hospitality.
  • The restaurants anchored Deen’s rise to prominence after her Food Network debut in 2002 and maintained steady crowds even after her 2013 series cancellation.
  • The Deens announced plans to focus on four Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen locations in Pigeon Forge and Nashville, Tennessee; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Branson, Missouri.
  • The unexpected closures leave employees and local businesses facing uncertainty and remove a key draw from Savannah’s tourism landscape.