APOPKA, Fla. – Well-known Central Florida barbecue chain Bubbalou’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que has closed its Apopka restaurant, leaving only two restaurants open.
Bubbalou’s announced the closure Tuesday in a Facebook post.
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“We are very sad to announce that we have closed our Apopka location. For almost the past two years, we have stayed ahead of the pandemic and everything surrounding it. With all of the obstacles we have faced, we have given it our best shot, but can no longer justify staying open,” the post reads.
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The post goes on to say that the business is working to place the staff from the Apopka location at the two remaining Bubbalou’s locations or “help them facilitate gaining employment at other local restaurants.”
When Bubbalou’s closed its original Winter Park location in September, the staff there was moved to the Apopka location. Staffing shortages were blamed for the Winter Park, according to company spokesperson Boo McKinnon, who said there were only three people working at the Lee Road store at the time of its closure.
The post announcing the Apopka closure did not offer specifics on the reasons for shuttering the store.
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“There’s no one to blame. There’s no situation to blame,” the post reads.
The two remaining Bubbalou’s are in Altamonte Springs, 1049 E. Altamonte Drive, and Orlando, 5818 Conroy Road.
It is not yet known what will happen with the Apopka property. The former Winter Park location is being converted into a second location of Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa. Pig Floyd’s owner Thomas Ward hopes to have that location open sometime in the spring.
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