Twenty-eight midwestern Hardee’s stores are closing today.
The stores, many of them located in Missouri, are closing because of a dispute between Hardee’s and a franchisee, ARC Burger LLC, which is fighting a $6.5 million lawsuit over franchisee’s fees they don’t feel they have to pay, after the group purchased the stores in bankruptcy court two years ago.
The LLC is owned by High Bluff Capital Partners. Hardee’s terminated their franchise agreement in September of this year, and ARC Burgers is just now closing the stores in breach. They had origianlly bought 80 stores in bankruptcy from Summit Restaurant Holdings.
A partial list of Hardee’s stores closing today include Moberly, Mexico, Trenton, Lebanon and the metro Kansas City stores. Stores in Illinois and Georgia will also be shuttering as part of the lawsuit.