Greencastle KFC now ‘closed’?

For the second time six weeks, a fast-food chain restaurant has apparently called it quits in Greencastle.

A “Closed” sign went up Thursday afternoon on the Kentucky Fried Chicken marquee at 509 Bloomington St., apparently signaling the end of a 50-year association with Putnam County.

There was no official word Thursday from the restaurant franchise, owners posted “Closed today for maintence (sic)” signs on the doors and drive-through window.

But some equipment was seen being taken away earlier in the day, although not all the fixtures had been removed Thursday. Workers at the site told a Banner Graphic representative that the restaurant was closed “permanently.”

Calls to the local KFC phone number went unanswered and did not ring to any voice message.

It was markedly similar to the Oct. 17 closing of the Long John Silver’s Seafood Shoppe, which shut its doors at 1016 Indianapolis Rd. last month after more than 30 years in Greencastle and after surviving a kitchen fire a year earlier. The Greencastle Long John’s closing came at the same time restaurants in Brazil and on U.S. 40 in Indianapolis met a similar fate.

The Greencastle KFC is latest to go, joining the Cloverdale and Brazil restaurants in retirement.

KFC was one of the first fast-food franchises in Greencastle and was once razed and rebuilt to allow for more seating and a buffet.