A BURGER King location that was shut down has had a concerning feature of its building removed after safety worries were raised among officials.
This month, the awning outside the shuttered burger joint in Van Ness, Washington DC, was removed years after the fate of the restaurant was sealed.
The building has now been listed for $6,750,000 by Alvin L. Aubinoe, with two lots for sale.
The Burger King location has been dubbed an “iconic” site thanks to its unique rock ‘n roll theme, according to the Forest Hills Connection.
The site was known in the area for its decor which was also inspired by movies like ET – the alien and his friends’ flying bike was featured in the eatery as well as the head of the Jaws’ shark coming out of a wall.
It served the local community for over four decades.
While the decor and all other furnishings were removed after the location abruptly closed its doors on the first weekend of 2023, the awning has only just been removed.
Workers removed the structure on June 5, a month after the city’s Department of Buildings warned about it being unstable.
Notices placed at the site warned of fines which would be addressed via liens on the property if the structure was not dealt with, according to FHC.
The closure of the location which opened in 1980 was a long process of uncertainty.
Mark James, the franchise’s owner, said in 2018 that the site was too costly to keep operating due to renovations ordered by corporate.
However, he then announced renovation plans for the “dilapidated” site starting in 2020 before backtracking the following year threatening closure once again.
During this upheaval for the company, Chick-fil-A attempted to make a move to the site which failed due to traffic concerns regarding the drive-thru.
It is not known what will take over the two-story property or who paid the workers to remove the awning which means there may now be a lien on the property if the city was forced to take charge.
Despite the burger joint being closed for some time, fans are still mourning its loss.
“I was REALLY bummed about….burger king! It was MY BURGER KING, dammit!” a Facebook user wrote in a post earlier this year.
“Loved that place, it was a weird retro dump.”
The closure of the location signified the end of Burger King in the area for the general public as the only other location in the city is on a military site.
Restaurant closures in 2024
BOSSES at major dining chains have announced a series of restaurant closures. The U.S. Sun has compiled a list of the chain's affected.
- Cracker Barrel: Stores in Medford, Oregon, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sacramento, California, have closed.
- Mod Pizza: Bosses dramatically shuttered 27 shops in April, including some in the state of California.
- Frisch’s Big Boy: Restaurant chiefs confirmed the closure of a restaurant in Covington, Kentucky in April.
- Outback Steakhouse: The chain will shutter 41 ‘underperforming’ locations this year.
- Two Bucks: Four restaurants in Ohio closed in April.
- Chili’s: A restaurant in Port Arthur, Texas, has shut permanently as well as one in Irvine, California.
- Friendly’s: Bosses confirmed an establishment in Ronkonkoma, Long Island will close.
- Pizza Hut: A restaurant in Glen Falls, New York, closed at the end of March, followed by four in Ohio in June and 15 in Indiana.
- Denny’s: Two restaurants in Boise and Nampa, Idaho, have closed.
- Carl’s Jr.: The first Boise, Idaho location has closed.
- In-N-Out: An Oakland location closed earlier in the year due to crime in the area.
- Cheesecake Factory: The chain is set to shutter a location in Memphis, Tennessee in July.
- Applebee’s: Announced the closure of between 25 and 35 locations this year.
- Taco John’s: Shuttered a restaurant in Minnesota and put the building up for sale in May.
- Rubio’s Coastal Grill: Has announced the closure of 48 locations in California after filing for bankruptcy.
- Burger King: Shuttered a location in California in June after 30 years.
Meanwhile, food lovers are mourning the loss of other eateries, with one chain announcing the closure of 18 branches.
Michigan-based fast-food chain Lefty’s Famous Cheesesteaks, Hoagies, & Grill, will have just 20 locations left after announcing a slew of closures due to a family feud.
Arby’s diners are also in despair after the food giant announced yet another closure amid bankruptcy issues.
Pizza lovers have also suffered as Pizza Hut closed down an “old school” store as the chain announced 150 restaurants were closing.
However, one pizza chain has been saved from the brink of bankruptcy, leaving diners overjoyed.