Another Popular Minnesota Business Is Now Permanently Closed

Another popular business here in Minnesota has just posted the 'permanently closed' sign on their doors.

It's never fun when a business decides to close up shop permanently-- especially when that notice is issued abruptly. But that is just what happened to a popular business in the east suburbs of the Twin Cities.

Things have been improving for some businesses since the pandemic ground just about everything to a halt in the Land of 10,000 Lakes and across the country over four years ago. But many businesses are still struggling to adapt to a post-pandemic world where consumers seem to like the convenience of online shopping or staying at home over going and spending money at traditional brick-and-mortar locations.

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Of course, other factors like inflation have also taken their toll on businesses, increasing costs at the same time consumers are cutting back on expenses and spending less. As a result, many businesses, and in some cases, entire chains, have shut their doors for good.

Such is the case for the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, a popular upscale movie theatre chain that abruptly announced Thursday that it was closing its only Minnesota location for good. The theatre was located in Woodbury Lakes, just off Interstate 94 on Woodbury Lakes Road.

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Axios Twin Cities said the Woodbury business was 'beloved by fans for its premium moviegoing experience, with amenities like recliners and a full restaurant menu with cocktails and a long list of craft beers.'

The shuttering of Minnesota's Alamo Drafthouse Cinema location is due to the company that owns the location having filed for bankruptcy. That company, Two is One, One is None, LLC, also abruptly closed its five other locations in Dallas, Texas, this CBS News-Texas story said, citing 'multiple financial factors, including high franchise fees, and being forced to keep operating its most unprofitable locations,' as the reasons.

But even though the company indicated the closings are permanent, perhaps the Minnesota location will be open again in the future. According to a post on their website:

This morning we learned that our franchise partner that operated Alamo Drafthouse Woodbury has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and is closing their business immediately. This means that for the time being Woodbury Alamo Drafthouse will be closed. Rest assured that we are hard at work coming up with a solution to get Alamo Drafthouse back in Woodbury.

This news is the latest in a string of closings happening not just here in Minnesota, but across the country. CBS News reports that almost 3,200 brick-and-mortar stores have permanently closed so far in 2024, a 24 percent increase from 2023.

Businesses closing their doors has always been a thing, even if there have been more of them recently. Keep scrolling to see some once-popular brands that have closed their doors for good and are no longer around.

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