T.G.I. Friday's to close Cottonwood Mall site

Utah's first T.G.I. Friday's restaurant, near the Cottonwood Mall at 4805 Highland Drive, will close its doors after 20 years due to stalled construction and a slumping business environment surrounding the partially demolished shopping mall, according to a Friday announcement by The Slaymaker Group, a Utah-based restaurant and dining company that owns five T.G.I. Friday's along the Wasatch Front, and Winger's Restaurants throughout the Intermountain West.

"This is a business decision laced with a great deal of emotion and nostalgia," said Scott Slaymaker, president and CEO of The Slaymaker Group. "The Cottonwood Mall location was the first T.G.I. Friday's our company opened, and to many Utahns it was their first exposure to the brand. But the business conditions surrounding the Cottonwood Mall location have simply made it impossible to continue operation."

The restaurant will close following its dinner service on Saturday night. The Slaymaker Group is working to place as many employees as possible in its other restaurant locations in the Salt Lake City area.

In addition, he said that many will be rehired when the company opens a new T.G.I. Friday's location near Valley Fair Mall in August.

— Laura Hancock