Bonanza Restaurants close in three Maine towns this week

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Poor sales and the economy were reasons given for the closure of Bonanza Restaurants in Dover-Foxcroft, Brunswick and Waterville this week.

Employees at the Dover-Foxcroft restaurant who arrived for work on Monday learned that the restaurant would no longer be open for business.

Kirk Allen, an accountant with HCM Investments of South Portland, the owners of the three restaurants, confirmed Tuesday that the businesses were closed this week because of the poor economy.

Allen said the Dover-Foxcroft restaurant, which only recently celebrated its first anniversary, was closed on Monday, while the restaurants in Brunswick and Waterville were closed on Tuesday.

“Sales are off. That’s pretty much the reason,” Allen said.

Allen said the company had no plans for the buildings at this time. He said the Waterville and Brunswick restaurants were opened in the early 1970s.

Allen said there was a high probability that the Waterville restaurant would re-open at some time in the future. Another Bonanza restaurant in South Portland, which also is owned by HCM, has yet to be affected, Allen said.

“The restaurant business is down over all. There’s no miracle cure. There’s no winners here. Everybody loses,” Allen said.

The decision to close the restaurants has been a long process, he said.

About 70 employees were affected by the closing of the three restaurants.

Meanwhile, the former Bonanza restaurants in Bangor and Augusta recently were renamed Rustler’s. The owner of those eateries could not be reached for comment.

The Bonanza restaurant in Presque Isle is operated by yet another owner and is not affected by the changes.