WASHINGTON — After abruptly shuttering dozens of locations nationwide, Red Lobster is now liquidating equipment and furniture from nearly 50 stores.
Liquidation company TAGeX Brands announced Monday afternoon that it was conducting an online auction of kitchen equipment and other contents of closed Red Lobster restaurants.
"People have heard about the closure of select Red Lobsters. TAGeX Brands is proud to launch the largest restaurant liquidation EVER through its online auction marketplace," The company's CEO Neal Sherman said on LinkedIn Monday.
The auction, where winners will receive the entire contents of the Red Lobster location they bid on, went live on Monday and will end on Thursday, May 16, according to the site.
While the auction only lists 48 locations, more than 90 Red Lobster stores nationwide were listed as "temporarily closed" on the restaurant's website on Monday.
Workers at the shuttered restaurants shared their disbelief on social media and said they received no notice whatsoever.
"Lost my job in an instant today, no warning or time to find a new job for any of the workers. So many of them who spent yearsss [sic] working there and all of a sudden that life is gone," one user commented under Red Lobster's Mother's Day post.
"Shame on red lobster thousands of people out of a job with absolutely no warning," another user wrote.
The Orlando-based chain has yet to publicly acknowledge Monday's closures and did not respond to a request for comment.
The closures come as bankruptcy rumors circled the seafood restaurant chain in recent weeks.
Red Lobster has been struggling for some time. With lease and labor costs piling up in recent years, the chain was reportedly considering filing for bankruptcy. A potential Chapter 11 filing could help Red Lobster exit from some long-term contracts and renegotiate many of its leases, unnamed sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News last month.
Maintaing stable management has also proven difficult, with the company seeing multiple ownership changes over its 56-year history. Earlier this year, Red Lobster co-owner Thai Union Group, one of the world’s largest seafood suppliers, announced its intention to exit its minority investment in the dining chain.
Red Lobster's roots date back to 1968, when the first restaurant opened in Lakeland, Florida. In the decades following, the chain expanded rapidly. Red Lobster currently touts more than 700 locations worldwide.
Red Lobster store closings 2024: List of latest closures
The following list shows Red Lobster locations listed as "closed" on their website, as of Tuesday afternoon.
Alabama
Arizona
California:
Colorado
Florida
- Hialeah, Florida
- Tampa, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Largo, FL
- Kissimmee, FL
- Leesburg, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Orlando, FL (Golden Sky Lane)
- Altamonte Springs, FL
- Gainesville, FL
- Jacksonville, FL (Commerce Center Drive)
- Jacksonville, FL (Baymeadows Road)
- Jacksonville, FL (City Station Drive)
- Sanford, FL
- Daytona Beach Shores, FL
- Jensen Beach, FL
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Mississippi
Missouri
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
The Associated Press contributed to this report.