Seattle's once thriving burger chain, Burbs Burgers, has officially shuttered all of its locations across the city. The chain's owner, Josh Henderson, who has been a notable figure in Seattle's culinary scene since his days with Skillet Street Food, made the difficult decision to close his restaurants, which at one point numbered twenty, including sought-after spots like Skillet Diner and Westward.
Henderson's business hit an insurmountable wall with rising food and labor costs, leading to the company filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in November as reported by Puget Sound Business Journal. Before the chain closed last week, Henderson had taken to social media in a bid to find investors, sharing, "I believe this business is something that's worth investing in, it would be such a waste for it all to go away. I'm trying to avoid that as much as I can." However, his efforts to save the burger enterprise were unsuccessful.
The story of Burbs Burgers' demise mirrors a broader narrative affecting the restaurant industry in Seattle, as highlighted by Eater Seattle. Many establishments continue to struggle with the financial impact of increased costs, leading to reductions in operation hours and many instances, resulting in closures, regardless of their successful histories or popularity among the city's denizens.
Burbs Burgers, which had employed 40 people across its five locations was also a reflection of Henderson's ambition that, despite the success of previous endeavors, could not withstand the volatile economic climate. His concentration on this single concept was a move made during the pandemic's apex, expanding into areas like Montlake, Georgetown, and Bellevue, as per My Ballard. Henderson had projected revenues for 2024 around $4 million, but the owed debt of $1 million highlighted in the bankruptcy filings was a financial gap too wide to close.
