The distinctive shape signage for Village Inn restaurants remains, but the sign for the Horizon Drive location was removed after that location was closed Jan. 15. A sign on the front door informs customers that the restaurant is closed and encourages them to visit the Village Inn at 910 North Ave.
The distinctive shape signage for Village Inn restaurants remains, but the sign for the Horizon Drive location was removed after that location was closed Jan. 15. A sign on the front door informs customers that the restaurant is closed and encourages them to visit the Village Inn at 910 North Ave.
Dale Shrull
A shell of a former sign along Horizon Drive might shout to motorists as they drive by.
Not just because of the missing sign, but for the trademark shape that Village Inn restaurants use.
The Village Inn sign was taken down after the Horizon Drive Village Inn closed on Jan. 15.
A sign on the front door informs customers that the restaurant is closed and encourages them to visit the Village Inn at 910 North Ave.
The sign thanks customers for their support over the years with it ending “It’s been a pleasure serving you!!!”
The restaurant on North Avenue was a big reason why the Horizon Drive location was closed, according to Mark Hampton, CEO and president of Family Restaurants Inc.
“The franchise agreement expired on that location and we decide not to renew it since we had the other location on North Avenue,” he said.
By closing the Horizon Drive location, Hampton said they were able to transfer 70% of that staff to the North Avenue location.
“We know have a fully staffed restaurant there,” he said.
Hampton said staffing is a wide-spread issue for the restaurant industry, so they made the decision to not renew the one franchise agreement so they would be able to get the North Avenue location fully staffed.
This closure is the second large restaurant along Horizon Drive to close in the past 20 months.
In May 2021, the popular WW Peppers location at 753 Horizon Court closed.
The WW Peppers location closed after the owners retired.
Horizon Drive Business Director Jonathan Purdy said the closures are no cause for concern for the area.
“I’m not worried at all,” Purdy said. “For that (Village Inn) property I have a feeling that someone will be in that location very soon.”
Hampton said Family Restaurants, Inc. owns the Horizon Drive building and property and it is currently up for sale.
