The Friendly’s restaurant chain is closing 37 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and elsewhere as it emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.
Friendly Ice Cream Corp. said each store closing Monday employed about 20 people, meaning about 740 jobs were lost. The company is closing 10 stores in Massachusetts, nine in Connecticut, one in Rhode Island and 17 elsewhere after failing to renegotiate lease agreements with landlords whose rents it said did not reflect market conditions.
The 76-year-old company known for its ice cream and hamburgers says 380 stores remain open. The Wilbraham, Mass.-based firm filed for bankruptcy protection in October after closing 63 stores and eliminating about 1,260 jobs.
