Paula Deen's Uncle Bubba's Restaurant Closed, Employees Reportedly

Paula Deen's rep confirmed the closing of Uncle Bubba's. "Since its

opening in 2004, Uncle Bubba's Oyster House has been a destination

for residents and tourists in Savannah, offering the region's freshest

seafood and oysters," the rep said in a statement to Us. "However,

the restaurant's owner and operator, Bubba Hiers, has made the

decision to close the restaurant in order to explore development

options for the waterfront property on which the restaurant is

located. At this point, no specific plans have been announced and a

range of uses are under consideration in order realize the highest and

best use for the property."

"The closing is effective today, Thursday, April 3, 2014," the

statement continued. "Employees will be provided with severance

based on position and tenure with the restaurant. All effort will be

made to find employees comparable employment with other Savannah

restaurant organizations."