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.