Goodbye Baby Back Ribs
Long-standing Dallas restaurant leaves Knox Street after more than 20 years
There'll be no getting your baby back on Knox Street with the closure of a chain restaurant that had been there for 22 years: Chili's Grill & Bar closed on January 11. According to a spokesperson for the restaurant, the landlord opted not to renew the lease.
The restaurant was a linchpin in the transition on Knox Street from sleepy street with small shops to the juggernaut it is today. Developer George Bayoud wasn't even that enthused about having a Chili's and signed the restaurant only reluctantly, as a way to lure in Pottery Barn. The current landlord is Sarofim Realty, whose plans for the space are not yet known.
As GuideLive notes in its story on the closure, the Knox branch was one of only a few remaining Chili's restaurants in Dallas proper. While there is an outlet at Love Field, the closest branch is in Casa Linda Plaza; there are more than 70 Chili's restaurants in the DFW area and 1,260 in the United States.
"I can confirm that Chili’s Knox closed January 11, as a result of lease expiration that was not available for renewal," the Chili's spokesperson says.
"Impacted management and hourly team members who were interested have been transferred to other employment opportunities at our nearby restaurants. We are very grateful to the loyal guests who visited this restaurant over the last 22 years and encourage them to continue enjoying their Chili’s favorites at our other Chili’s locations in the Dallas area."
