56 Beloved American Restaurants That Have Closed Their Doors

Earl Abel’s began serving its famous fried chicken, lemon meringue pie, and a slice of southern hospitality back in 1933 from its flagship location in San Antonio, Texas. After a few short years, Abel’s blossomed into a restaurant chain catering to the upper-middle class and beyond.

Like many businesses of the time, Earl Abel’s ran into staffing issues during World War 2. They were forced to close all but one restaurant, the Broadway and Hildebrand location in San Antonio. The landmark location remained in business until 2006 when, after more than seven decades, the one remaining location ceased operations for a short time before re-opening under new management later that year.