Popular fast food restaurant selling chicken abruptly closes in Springfield

A popular fast food restaurant specializing in chicken may have left the Springfield area for good.

The Kentucky Fried Chicken at 3150 S. Sixth St. abruptly closed Monday night.

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“We want to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for your continued support over the years. It is with mixed emotions that we announce the closure of our restaurant,” reads a sign posted on the restaurant door. “We understand that this news may come as a surprise, but we believe this is the right decision for us at this time. We want to thank each and every one of you for your continued patience and understanding during this time of transition. Your support has meant the world to us and we are truly grateful for all the memories we have shared with you.”

Buckets still filled with water and cleaning fluid were visible inside the store Tuesday morning, the cash register covered with boxes and buckets of chicken ready to go, a vacuum cleaner on the floor next to the counter.

Yum, the parent company that owns the South Sixth Street KFC, has apparently packed up shop statewide, confirming the closure of its five Peoria-area locations and three Rockford-area locations.

“We can confirm that some KFC locations in the area have closed,” a spokesperson told the Peoria Journal Star. “The decision to close a restaurant is always difficult, both for the franchisee and the brand. We appreciate the loyalty of our customers.”

The other two KFC restaurants in Springfield have been temporarily closed. It is not yet known if either of the West Jefferson Street or North Ninth Street restaurants will reopen.

EYM Chicken Operations owns several other KFC locations in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, totaling approximately 150 locations across the state.

Claire Grant writes about business, growth and development and other news topics for The State Journal-Register. You can reach her at CLGrant@gannett.com and on X (formerly known as Twitter): @Claire_Granted

This article originally appeared in the State Journal-Register: KFC abruptly closes last location in Springfield, Illinois