Elephant Bar shuttering about a third of its locations

We knew that the San Bernardino Elephant Bar, 1050 E. Harriman Place, was closing, and have recently learned that it will close tomorrow (June 11). However, that’s not the end of the story. We’re hearing that at least 15 of the chain’s 44 locations — a little over a third — are closing this week. Another Inland Empire location — at the Galleria at Tyler in Riverside — closed at the end of March. Doing a quick search around the web, we found most of locations that are shutting down:

The company is stating on its Facebook page that 29 restaurants will remain, which indicates 16 are closing, but we’ve heard reports of up to 18 closures.

Also on the chain’s Facebook page are angry posts from guests who’ve recently purchased gift cards at closing locations (mostly Toledo, Ohio, that state’s sole location, and over 1,000 miles from the next closest location) and from employees who were only given a few days notice before the closures.

Not a pretty situation.

We’re sad to see the Elephant Bar closing so many locations at once, and especially in San Bernardino, which obviously has larger problems to deal with without losing yet another tax revenue source.

Best of luck to those who are now having to find a new job.

Update: The chain has updated its locations page. Also closing are the Altamonte Springs, Fla., Phoenix, Ariz., and Laguna Hills restaurants, which brings the total to 16.

Update, part 2: According to Nation’s Restaurant News, the chain has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization and is seeking a buyer.