O’Charley’s closing all locations nationwide after 55 years

NASHVILLE — A longtime Tennessee restaurant is closing its doors.

Nashville-based O’Charley’s Restaurant & Bar will close all of its remaining company-owned locations nationwide Wednesday, ending the restaurant chain’s 55-year run, according to The Tennessean.

Employees at several Tennessee locations, including restaurants in Clarksville, Hermitage and Nashville, told The Tennessean that their locations would close at 8 p.m. Sept. 9.

O’Charley’s has disabled its social media accounts and has not responded to multiple requests for comment, according to reports.

The restaurant was founded by Charles Watkins on 21st Avenue near Vanderbilt University in 1971, and Watkins sold the business in 1984 to David Watchel, a longtime Shoney’s executive who expanded the chain to 45 locations by 1993.

O’Charley’s operated 52 locations nationwide earlier this year, including eight in Middle Tennessee, according to The Tennessean.

The O’Charley’s in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, the last remaining location in the greater Chattanooga area, said they “weren’t allowed to talk about it” when our newsroom called.