TGI Friday's Abruptly Closes Danvers, 5 Other MA Locations

DANVERS, MA — Nearly half of the few remaining TGI Friday's locations in Massachusetts closed abruptly to start the new year with a four-decade run in Danvers among those that came to a sudden end.

TGI Friday's no longer lists the locations in Danvers, Dedham, Marlborough, Mansfield, North Attleboro or Seekonk on its website as locations. The spots in Boston (Tremont Street), Braintree, Everett, Methuen, Millbury, North Dartmouth and Stoughton remain open — according to the site.

A person identifying himself on a Facebook group called TGIFriday's Danvers Crew of the 90's and Friends appeared to confirm the closure on Tuesday morning.

"I guess it is my responsibility as the final General Manager of this LEGENDARY store with a VERY heavy heart to inform all of you former Fridays Danvers employees that last night we closed the doors for good after 40 long fun and memorable years," Steve Matthew Carter posted. "I had the honor and pleasure of working with most of you. ... and just want to say one final statement.

"As long as we all maintain (our) memories and stories of all of our incredible events and hijinks whether good or bad, TGI Friday's in Danvers will live forever."

TGI Friday's issued a statement on Wednesday saying that the closures were part of a long-term strategy to "revitalize the Fridays brand and implement a long-term growth strategy" and that the 36 locations closed nationwide wide were determined to be "underperforming locations."

The company said it is offering transfer opportunities to more than 80 percent of the employees affected by the closures.

"Our top priority has always been delivering a superior experience for each and every TGI Fridays guest, and we've identified opportunities to optimize and streamline our operations to ensure we are best positioned to meet — and exceed — on that brand promise," U.S. President and Chief Operating Officer Ray Risley said in the statement. "By strengthening our franchise model and closing underperforming stores, we are creating an unprecedented opportunity for Fridays to drive forward its vision for the future."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)