Lyon's

Infobox company
company_
company_name = Lyon's of California Inc.
parent =
company_type = Private
company_slogan =
foundation = 1952? in San Francisco, USA
location = Sacramento, California
key_people =
industry = Restaurants
num_employees =
revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
products =
homepage = [http://www.lyonsrestaurants.com www.lyonsrestaurants.com]

Lyon's of California Inc. is a chain of diner-style restaurants, similar to Denny's. Their sites are all in Northern California, with their corporate headquarters in Sacramento.

History

Lyon's was founded in San Francisco in about 1952.Fact|date=September 2007 In 1966, it was bought by Sara Lee, which sold the chain in an MBO in 1989.Chaudhry, Rajan [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_n3_v23/ai_6975616 Sara Lee exits restaurant biz with sale of Lyon's] , "Nation's Restaurant News", 16 Jan, 1989.] At the time of the MBO, Lyon's had 65 restaurants across California, Oregon and Nevada and a turnover of $100m.

After bankruptcy in February 1998Anderson, Mark [http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/2002/09/02/story6.html?t=printable Lyon's moves HQ here, licks its wounds] , "Sacramento Business Journal", 30 August, 2002.] Lyon's was acquired by ICH, an Arby's franchisee. In January 2001 ICH sold Lyon's to Amber's Pacific Restaurants Inc., [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_44_35/ai_79665856 Lyon's chain files Ch. 11 after rapid shrinkage] "Nation's Restaurant News", 29 Oct, 2001] a company of San Diego restaurant owner Amber Lao. APRI filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2001, blaming the economic turndown at that time.

Locations

By the time of the Chapter 11 in 2001, Lyon's had 72 restaurants. 35 were sold to franchisees, and 32 were closed. Since then some franchisees have been lost to other restaurant brands, including Sizzler. [ [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_6_37/ai_97728167 Sizzler: Lyon's group to reflag 10 Calif. units - News - Worldwide Restaurant Concepts Inc. has signed T. Dhillon Inc. to 10-unit conversion deal] - "Nation's Restaurant News", 10 Feb, 2003.]

The Lyon's company itself retained just 5 units, all in Northern California - Carmichael, Grass Valley, Sacramento, South San Francisco and Yuba City. Of these, both the Grass Valley and Yuba City locations have closed: Grass Valley in 2006 and Yuba City in 2007.

References