Latest news with #DianaBiederman
New York Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Bahama Breeze abruptly closes more than one-third of restaurants — including 4 in NJ and sole Long Island location
Bahama Breeze abruptly closed 15 locations, or more than one-third of its chain, this week as a sharp decline in consumer sentiment hammers fast-casual restaurants. The popular Caribbean-inspired dining chain shuttered restaurants across the country, including four in New Jersey and the sole location on Long Island. 3 Bahama Breeze abruptly closed 15 locations, or more than one-third of its portfolio, this week. Christopher Sadowski Advertisement 'We believe this is the right decision because it will allow Bahama Breeze to focus on its highest performing restaurants and strengthen the brand's overall performance,' owner Darden Restaurants told The Post in a statement. Closed locations: Lake Grove, NY Paramus, NJ Toms River, NJ Wayne, NJ Woodbridge, NJ Daytona Beach, FL Gainesville, FL Naples, FL Oakland Park, FL Sunrise, FL Schaumburg, IL Tyngsboro, MA Troy, MI Las Vegas, NV Memphis, TN 3 The popular Caribbean-inspired dining chain shuttered four locations in New Jersey and the sole restaurant on Long Island. Diana Biederman/Naples Daily News / USA TODAY NETWORK Advertisement The company is trying to hire as many impacted employees as possible at nearby Darden-owned restaurants, a spokesperson said. All other staffers will be paid severance, she added. Bahama Breeze has just 29 restaurants remaining after suffering a sales slump last year, down 7.7%, according to data from restaurant research firm Technomic. Several other casual dining chains have turned to restaurant closures to stay afloat as shoppers grow more hesitant. In March, Red Robin announced it's considering plans to close 70 locations after recording a $32.4 million loss from the 'review of underperforming restaurants.' Advertisement 3 Bahama Breeze has just 29 restaurants remaining. Instagram/bahamabreezeislandgrille TGI Fridays closed 12 locations across the US in just one month last October, including three in New York state. The chain also shuttered 35 restaurants across the pond. And in May, embattled seafood chain Red Lobster abruptly sealed the doors at 50 restaurants nationwide, including more than a dozen in New York and New Jersey. Consumer sentiment has only worsened, plunging in April to its second-lowest reading on record as Americans fear the effects of President Trump's trade war, according to a University of Michigan survey. Advertisement The outlook for inflation also grew more dire as year-ahead inflation expectations rose to 7.3% from 6.5% last month. Retail spending slowed in April after customers had rushed to front-load their shopping in March ahead of the tariffs, according to the Commerce Department.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meet our staff: Hannah Phillips, Diana Biederman, Maya Washburn
Meet some of our staff members at The Palm Beach Post covering important issues for the community . Hannah Phillips has worked at The Palm Beach Post since May 2022. She covers civil and criminal court proceedings, as well as overdose deaths, gun violence and police use of force in Palm Beach County. She graduated from the University of Florida, where she studied journalism and public policy. She has taken part of conferences conducted by the Florida Bar and Investigative Reporters and Editors. Read more of Hannah Phillips' stories here. She is a Florida native, born and raised in Stuart. X handle - @haphillips96 Instagram - Email: hphillips@ This reporter lived in New York City for 30 years before moving to Isles of Capri in South Naples. Prior to her role at the paper, she worked in public relations for a slew of fashion, lifestyle and hospitality brands, including New York City's "21" Club and other Belmond-owned properties. Her client roster also included a relaunch of the Heineken-owned De L'Europe in Amsterdam. She has been profiled in The New York Times twice and was featured on CBS Sunday in 2015 for her late in life first marriage. Fun fact: She's banned from competing on Jeopardy!, though not because she's a quiz whiz. Why? As a publicist, she successfully pitched the show's producers on many categories, all filmed onsite at her clients' hotels, planes and trains across the globe. Always asking questions, when meeting Alex Trebek, hers was "Do you dumb it down for Celebrity Jeopardy?" His diplomatic reply: 'Categories and questions are tailored to their strengths." She is also an avid reader and library advocate, diving into celeb memoirs, bios and anything else regarding FLOTUSes past and present. Read more of Diana Biederman's stories here. X handle: @dianabcapri Instagram: dianapbgardens Email: dbiederman@ Maya has worked at The Palm Beach Post since January 2023. Her beat includes local government, growth and development and breaking news in northern Palm Beach County, the six communities which run from Lake Park to Tequesta. She has a bachelor's degree in digital journalism with a concentration in criminal justice from Florida International University, where she was a member of the Honors College. Read more of Maya Washburn's stories here. X handle: @mayalaneyy Email: mwashburn@ This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Meet our staff: Hannah Phillips, Diana Biederman, Maya Washburn
