Open and Shut Cases

Norristown Patch was tipped off last week to the in East Norriton shutting its doors via a Facebook post from a reader questioning the sudden departure.

According to a story in The Times Herald, Buffet, Inc. the company that owns Old Country and five other buffet-style restaurants across the country, is reorganizing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. A total of 81 Buffet, Inc. restaurants across the country were closed, including five in Pennsylvania.

“The decision to close these restaurants, though difficult, resulted from a comprehensive, store-by-store analysis of financial performance, occupancy costs, market conditions and the long-term strategy of our reorganized restaurant portfolio,” Buffets, Inc. CEO Mike Andrews said in the release.

For Norristown residents who can't live without Old Country Buffet and don't mind a drive, the closest locations now are in and Downingtown and Reading.

While OCB was closing it's doors in East Norriton, across town in West Norriton, Ginos Ristorante & Pizzeria was working on getting it's doors reopened – a feat they accomplished on Monday of this week.

Gino's had closed down for repairs after a car crashed into the rear of the popular Italian eatery shortly after 1 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 23. The driver of the car and a waitress who suffered first- and second degree burns when a fryer shifted and splashed some hot oil on her arm and face.

The rear entrance and wall of the restaurant reportedly suffered som structural damage leading to the closure, but everything is right as rain now and Gino's is back in business.

Read more about the crash here on The Herald's website.

Across town the other way, in Norristown has also reopened. The second-hand store , who found numerous code violations.

According to the folks in the Code Enforcement Department at Norristown Municipal Hall, Ah's has made the necessary improvements and is cleared for business again.

You can read more about that October closing and the legal troubles that initiated the action .

Do you know of business that's closing in Norristown? How about a new business opening up? Let us know! Email james.myers@patch.com or send us a message on Facebook or Twitter.