Paula Deen Announces Abrupt Closure of 2 Eateries, Including Her ‘Flagship Restaurant’

Paula Deen has announced that two of her eateries — including her “flagship restaurant” — have abruptly closed their doors for good.

On Friday, Aug. 1, the former Food Network star, 78, revealed on both Facebook and her official website that The Lady & Sons, her decades-old Savannah, Georgia restaurant, has ceased operation along with her nearby restaurant, The Chicken Box.

“Hey, y’all, my sons and I made the heartfelt decision that Thursday, July 31st, was the last day of service for The Lady & Sons and The Chicken Box. Thank you for all the great memories and for your loyalty over the past 36 years,” Deen wrote in a statement, also signed by her adult sons Jamie and Bobby.

“We have endless love and gratitude for every customer who has walked through our doors. We are equally grateful to our incredible staff — past and present — whose hard work, care, and hospitality made The Lady & Sons what it was. Savannah will always be our home, and we’ll always be here to support our wonderful community.”

Now, as Deen wrote, her “focus” will be on her four Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen locations in Pigeon Forge, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, and Branson. “We’re excited to continue visiting these restaurants regularly, starting with Branson on August 8th,” the celebrity chef wrote on social media.

A contact for Lady & Sons did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional comment.

According to The Lady & Sons’ website, which now redirects to Deen’s personal website, the location was Deen’s “flagship restaurant” and “had its humble beginnings” in June 1989, when Deen started her first business out of her home.

It earned the “International Meal of the Year” recognition from USA Today in 1999, per its website. According to CBS News, The Lady & Sons spawned from Deen’s catering business called The Bag Lady and she officially opened up shop in downtown Savannah, in 1996, before moving the location a few years later.

The Southern-style eatery served Deen’s “famous sides” along with “a family-style spread of hearty down-home dishes,” per a description. As for The Chicken Box, it was located behind Lady & Sons and opened its doors in 2023.

“Nobody knew anything was wrong,” local Martin Rowe told CBS News of The Lady & Sons following its closure announcement. “I walk by there two or three times a week at lunch, and it was always packed.”

“I thought this must be a mistake or maybe they planned to close and we don’t live here and just weren’t up to speed, but no,” visitor Adrienne Morton told the Associated Press after her reservation had been canceled. “We wish them the best. Hopefully everything turns out.”

The closures come over a decade after the conclusion of Deen’s long-running Food Network series, Paula’s Home Cooking. In 2013, the network announced it would not renew the series following fallout from a deposition in which Deen revealed she had used a racial slur in the past. Deen continues to post cooking videos on her YouTube channel, most recently sharing an apple strudel recipe on Saturday morning.