Columbus Smokey Bones abruptly closes as chain shuts down all locations
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - A longtime casual dining restaurant in Columbus has permanently closed as the entire chain abruptly shut down.
Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill, located at 5555 Whittlesey Blvd. at Columbus Park Crossing for more than two decades, closed for good on Tuesday, according to signage posted on the restaurant’s front entrance: “We regret to announce that this location has permanently closed its doors as of Tuesday, April 28th. We thank our loyal Guests for many wonderful years.”
The signage offered no specific reason for the sudden exit and the company’s website now lists business hours for all locations as “closed.” Reports indicate multiple Smokey Bones restaurants across the country also ceased operations Tuesday.
At its peak, the nearly 30-year-old barbecue chain operated more than 100 locations nationwide. That footprint had dwindled to just 20 units before mass closures swept the chain on Tuesday.
Smokey Bones was acquired in 2023 by FAT Brands, which also owns Twin Peaks and several other restaurant concepts.
A spokesperson for the company confirmed the nationwide closures in a statement to WTVM News Leader 9 Wednesday afternoon.
The company declined to say how many employees were affected by the closure.
In January 2025, FAT Brands launched Twin Hospitality Group, a newly formed operating group for Twin Peaks and Smokey Bones. The move was initially framed as a strategy to unlock value for shareholders and allow the barbecue and sports bar concepts to operate with more specialized oversight.
In September 2025, the company revealed a plan to rebrand 19 Smokey Bones restaurants to the “better-performing” Twin Peaks brand. This transition was not planned for Columbus though as both brands operated very close to one another in the same shopping center.
The restructuring was not enough to stabilize the brands’ financial footing. In January 2026, FAT Brands and its affiliate, Twin Hospitality Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to court documents obtained by WTVM News Leader 9. The filings came as the companies struggled to restructure and shed billions of dollars in accumulated debt.
This departmure marks the fourth restaurant to leave Columbus Park Crossing in the last month, following the departures of Hooters, Wild Wing Cafe and Spudzilla.
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