Customers Concerned About Future of JC Friendly’s Restaurant

Some fans of the Johnson City Friendly's restaurant are worried about its future following a series of closings by the chain.

A sign on the side of the restaurant at 561 Harry L Drive was removed this week, prompting concern that it was about to be shut down.

Workers were busy painting the exterior of the building but similar sprucing up of other Friendly's restaurants has happened before they closed without warning.

A group of diners said they asked employees about the future of the location and were told there were no plans to shut down.

Friendly's restaurants in Endicott and the town of Chenango closed suddenly last April, leaving the Johnson City site the last remaining operation in the Binghamton area.

In an email, a spokeswoman for Friendly's wrote: "The Johnson City location remains open, along with 154 other Friendly’s restaurants.  The company closed 40 locations this year, with no plans to close additional locations."

Some additional Friendly's restaurant closings have been reported this month.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer criticized Friendly's last spring for closing restaurants without giving employees advance notice.

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com

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