Retail Watchers

Izzys used to be a pretty large regional Northwest chain but appears to be gradually shrinking. According to their website they now have 11 locations.

They have morphed into more of a buffet restaurant which tends to be hit or miss depending on location. Some can be very good. Others are slow to keep pizza out and then the whole restaurant stampedes at once when refilled.

But at one point they did experiment with delivery (which didn't last long) and a smaller format restaurant in Longview, WA (which also didn't last long, the location was difficult to access) But the full buffet restaurant in Kelso seems to be busy most of the time.

I kinda wonder though about the future of the chain. They really aren't advertising much any more and their locations don't really stand out.

I was unable to find any news articles, but it appears that this chain might have quietly shut down. Their website is no longer valid and their Facebook page has not been updated since September of 2020. I drove by the Kelso, WA location yesterday, which has been closed for several months, and noticed it was still closed, with the small road sign blacked out, but signage still on the building. One interesting note is that there is a large dumpster outside, which may be a sign that they might be remodeling again (possibly moving away from the buffet model) and their Facebook page indicated that they will be remodeling several locations including Kelso. However, the Kelso location had a fire a couple years ago and remodeled shortly before the pandemic started. I would think it's more likely another restaurant is moving in. However, Google shows the Kelso location as "temporarily closed" so it's possible that there could be permit delays or something.

I am curious about other Izzy's locations...are any of them showing signs of remodeling? Or can anybody comfirm that the chain is closed?

I didn't notice one in Newport.
Hillsboro, which was a franchisee, seems to still be closed and possibly empty. I believe a window was even broken out and boarded over when I drove by last.
Beaverton's location remains vacant waiting for a tenant (this was closed well before the pandemic).
I bypassed McMinnville so I don't know if the one there is still open.
Bend's space is reopened under a totally different name and maybe a different format.

Izzy's Newport has a new name: it's now called The Hill Buffet and Grill according to News Lincoln County.

https://www.newslincolncounty.com/archi ... oUWLo4X7_U

Mom and I were up there in October, and stopped by while it was still Izzy's - it was us and one other family in the place. Owing to the location (overlooking the ocean,) I think Newport will do OK as an independent.

The Corvallis location became Max's Food and More (apparently a Mexican concept -- I've never gone there) sometime last year.

That building in Newport is more suited for an upscale seafood restaurant than Izzy's.

https://eastpdxnews.com/business-commun ... a-and-fun/

I think the Sizzler in Newport closed. I guess that would sort of kind of be competition.