KFC in Senatobia has closed its doors after serving customers for almost 50 years.
Signs are posted on entrances to the popular chicken restaurant at 505 East Main Street stating, “We are permanently closed” and invites patrons to dine at the nearest KFC locations in Hernando and Batesville.
Richard West, president of West Quality Food Services Inc. in Laurel which operates several KFC restaurants in north Mississippi, said the reason for closing the Senatobia store that opened in 1976 was purely a business decision.
“We didn’t own the facility, and our lease was up in the next month or two,” West explained. “We found it is more economical to own the property where our restaurants operate. It didn’t make sense for us to invest over $500,000 to renovate and remodel an outdated building in Senatobia.”
West said he hasn’t completely ruled out the possibility of opening a new KFC in Senatobia in a different location.
“Later in the year we are going to search around the city, see what properties are available and assess our options,” he said.
West said all employees at KFC in Senatobia were given an opportunity to transfer to KFC locations operated by West Quality Food Services including Batesville, Hernando, Holly Springs and Horn Lake among others.
