Bonanza / Ponderosa

[buzz86us]

wish Ponderosa would come back to NY Albany area miss their chicken wings and onion straws, but when there is a buffet that has steak on the regular menu (golden corral) i can see why they are done-for around here... I still get email notifications for the Herkimer NY ponderosa that is miles from where I am...

[ynkeesfn82]

From The Record-Journal - An article about the new Children's Dentist Office opening in September at the old Ponderosa at 264 Queen Street Southington, Connecticut.

Building that housed restaurants for decades will become dentist’s office

Published: August 29, 2014 | Last Modified: August 29, 2014 07:52PM
By Farrah Duffany Record-Journal staff

SOUTHINGTON â€" A Queen Street building that has been home to several restaurants over the past 40 years is set to become a dentist’s office.

The building at 264 Queen St. housed a Ponderosa restaurant for nearly 30 years until it closed in November 2008 after the franchise filed for bankruptcy. In 2010, Joshua Wilcox of North Haven opened “Fish & Chops.” The restaurant eventually closed and Wilcox reopened under the name Route 10 Tavern. The menu included wings and ribs.

“I think they were wildly successful,” said town Economic Development Coordinator Lou Perillo, referring to the restaurants that called 264 Queen St. home. “Ponderosa was there for 30 years. The restaurant business is very difficult ... and has a high failure rate.”

Despite some of the closures, Perillo believes the traffic on Queen Street continues to make it attractive. He said about 25,000 cars go by 264 Queen St. each day.

The Little Tooth Company, which caters to children, is scheduled to open in the building on Sept. 9, said company owner Jay Leung. Little Tooth is leasing a little more than half the building.

“We’re happy to see the space filled,” Perillo said.

Since 2008, Leung has been a practicing at West Hartford Family Dentistry and lives in West Hartford. When the office opens, he expects to have about three employees. This will be Leung’s first practice of his own.

Leung said one of his goals is to eliminate the fear or hesitation that children often have when coming to a dentist.

“I think dentists have a stigma of being a place where people don’t want to go … we want to change that mentality.” Leung said. “And hopefully foster an environment to make kids excited about it.”

By providing a fun environment and engaging with the children, Leung hopes to overcome the stigma. Most importantly, Leung said he plans to treat the children that come into his practice as if they were his own.

fduffany@record-journal.com (203) 317-2212 Twitter: @FollowingFarrah

A new hair salon (like Southington needed another one) opened in the remaining portion of the former Ponderosa next to the dentist office that just opened in September.

[ynkeesfn82]

Wayne Patrick's Salon has been open for a couple of months in a portion of the old Ponderosa in Southington, CT.

http://www.waynepatricks.com/ is their website and you can see pictures of the salon.

[Hudsons81]

Camino Real Mexican Grill has been open for quite a while now in the old Wyandotte, MI Ponderosa. Actually, this is Camino Real's second location, as they already have a location on Central Street in southwest Detroit.

Their website: http://www.restaurantcaminoreal.com/

[HannafordHearts]

The Ponderosa in Herkimer, NY, the last one remaining in the area, has also recently closed up for good.

The former East Greenbush, NY location is currently a Chinese buffet called "Super Buffet".

There are still a few operating Ponderosas in Kissimmee, FL, on Route 192.

[BillyGr]

The Ponderosa in Herkimer, NY, the last one remaining in the area, has also recently closed up for good.

The former East Greenbush, NY location is currently a Chinese buffet called "Super Buffet".

The Latham location is now a Sushi place (and was a Chinese Buffet also before).
The Western Avenue one is Hana (Japanese Steak House).
The one in Hudson was demolished and is now the site of Tractor Supply.

[ynkeesfn82]

This is the former Ponderosa on West Main Street in New Britain, Connecticut. Today it is home to New Britain Pediatric Group. It's near the corner of West Main and North Mountain Road near the Plainville Town Line. After the Ponderosa is was supposed to become a night club, but the city never let it open. Then it was a pizza place with the worst tasting pizza ever. I don't remember when Ponderosa closed, but it was sometime in the 1990s.



Photo Credit: Vision Government Solutions.

[ynkeesfn82]

This is the old Bonanza in Bristol, Connecticut. I'm not sure what years the restaurant was in existence. It's been the Applewood Diner for many years. And actually this is an older picture. The building looks somewhat different today.



Photo Credit: Vision Government Solutions.

[Zayre88]

Bonanza is rebranding as Bonanza Steak and BBQ....

http://www.restaurantnews.com/a-new-era-begins-for-bonanza-steakhouse-homestyle-dining-unveils-the-new-bonanza-steak-bbq/

Not sure I like the new logo.  And the concept building is a former Ponderosa..!

[retailisking]

The article is from last October. Probably a last-ditch effort to bring new franchisees on board, but why bother with this when there is Golden Corral?

[BillyGr]

The article is from last October. Probably a last-ditch effort to bring new franchisees on board, but why bother with this when there is Golden Corral?

Sounds like they are trying a different route, featuring the meals with the salad bar as a side rather than featuring the buffet with meals as a side (as the old Ponderosa and GC do).

[Bdubs]

We were driving through VT this weekend to get to Middlebury. After what felt like hundreds of miles of country roads, we come across a populated area with an operational Ponderosa. I had to laugh, as my girlfriend looks out at it and goes "what the hell is Ponderosa?"  Haha.

[TheFugitive]

OK, so, I know that the TV program Bonanza ran on NBC for 15 seasons and that
they had retitled the syndicated shows as Ponderosa to avoid confusion in the listings.

But why would a restaurant chain feel compelled to do the same?   ???

[BillyGr]

OK, so, I know that the TV program Bonanza ran on NBC for 15 seasons and that
they had retitled the syndicated shows as Ponderosa to avoid confusion in the listings.

But why would a restaurant chain feel compelled to do the same?   ???

They started as two separately owned chains offering similar restaurants.  They actually didn't rename that many (maybe a few?) even though at some point it would have made sense as the overall number decreased not to have two separate names when locations were within the same area.

[Zayre88]

Bonanza Steak & BBQ Opens Another Location, This Time in Seymour, Indiana â€" The “Crossroads of America”

http://www.restaurantnews.com/bonanza-steak-bbq-opens-another-location-this-time-in-seymour-indiana-the-crossroads-of-america/





I like the overall look of the restaurant, finally a modern Bonanza but I still dislike the new logo....

[JSIDA17]

Bonanza Steak & BBQ Opens Another Location, This Time in Seymour, Indiana â€" The “Crossroads of America”

http://www.restaurantnews.com/bonanza-steak-bbq-opens-another-location-this-time-in-seymour-indiana-the-crossroads-of-america/





I like the overall look of the restaurant, finally a modern Bonanza but I still dislike the new logo....

I agree. The new logo looks way too generic, but I love that restaurant design.

[Zayre88]

One more pic:



From Restaurant News.com

[Retail Fan+ (Justin Hill)]

Looks like they're trying to compete with the likes of Longhorn Steakhouse.

[Zayre88]

Ponderosa closed its doors in Rutland VT

The owner replaced Ponderosa by a Ground Round.

http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/march/ground-round-grill-bar-plans-new-restaurant-rutland

[BillyGr]

Ponderosa closed its doors in Rutland VT

The owner replaced Ponderosa by a Ground Round.

http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/march/ground-round-grill-bar-plans-new-restaurant-rutland

That's a different one - replacing one older, almost going non existant restaurant with another chain with a very similar story.

Also, in the article where they give nearby locations - Plattsburgh isn't too bad, but then Johnson City (which is near Binghamton) and 3 stores in Maine... that's stretching nearby just a bit :)

[retailisking]

The owner of the Fatburger chain has purchased Homestyle Dining LLC, parent company of Bonanza/Ponderosa. Item one on the new owner's agenda: come up with a fast-casual steakhouse concept.
http://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/news_home/Business/2017/09/FAT_Brands_to_acquire_Ponderos.aspx?ID=%7B46657589-D68F-47E2-AD8C-18B7E9D729E7%7D&cck=1

[Pikapower]

The owner of the Fatburger chain has purchased Homestyle Dining LLC, parent company of Bonanza/Ponderosa. Item one on the new owner's agenda: come up with a fast-casual steakhouse concept.
http://www.meatpoultry.com/articles/news_home/Business/2017/09/FAT_Brands_to_acquire_Ponderos.aspx?ID=%7B46657589-D68F-47E2-AD8C-18B7E9D729E7%7D&cck=1

Could Ponderosa/Bonanza Steakhouse make a comeback as a fast casual restaurants since more people are eating out at fast casual restaurants as opposed sit down restaurants.

[Amesguy2000]

Ours (Ponderosa) Closed this past year because the people wanted to retire.. it was sure sad but the people deserved their retirement. They was nice people and their kids didnt want to take over.. The couple sold all the restaurants contents on facebook marketplace and that was that. (Portland Indiana)   

[retailisking]

https://www.pantagraph.com/business/local/last-bonanza-steakhouse-in-illinois-closing-in-lincoln/article_53555481-a428-5027-a3c8-1714ae678197.html

[Zayre88]

This Illinois closing is the 3rd one so far in 2018. Tupelo, MS and Yankton SD have also closed.

This leaves Bonanza with these 8 surviving locations:

Chambersburg, PA
New Columbia, PA
Hazle Township, PA
Lebanon, VA
Des Moines, IA
Presque Isle, ME
Sanford, ME
St. Cloud, MN

and 1 Bonanza Steak & BBQ in Seymour, IN.

[retailisking]

This Illinois closing is the 3rd one so far in 2018. Tupelo, MS and Yankton SD have also closed.

This leaves Bonanza with these 8 surviving locations:

Chambersburg, PA
New Columbia, PA
Hazle Township, PA
Lebanon, VA
Des Moines, IA
Presque Isle, ME
Sanford, ME
St. Cloud, MN

and 1 Bonanza Steak & BBQ in Seymour, IN.

I drove past the Sanford, ME location last Sunday and it was packed.

[Bdubs]

The former Ponderosa in Groton is now a sushi and hibachi restaurant. Outside still looks the way it did when it was a Ponderosa.

[TheFugitive]

The website for Me TV has a story up about Bonanza Steakhouse.

Apparently Dan Blocker, who played Hoss on the show, was involved in their founding.
And the first one was in a former bus station in Connecticut!

https://www.metv.com/stories/dan-hoss-blocker-opened-the-first-bonanza-steakhouse-in-an-old-bus-station

[BillyGr]

The former Ponderosa in Groton is now a sushi and hibachi restaurant. Outside still looks the way it did when it was a Ponderosa.

We have a restaurant by that name in Albany (NY) also, and when searching there seem to be quite a few around but nothing on the websites indicates any connection between them.  It wasn't a Ponderosa, though (although there were a few not too far away, and at least one has been a Chinese and Sushi place).

[BillyGr]

The website for Me TV has a story up about Bonanza Steakhouse.

Apparently Dan Blocker, who played Hoss on the show, was involved in their founding.
And the first one was in a former bus station in Connecticut!

https://www.metv.com/stories/dan-hoss-blocker-opened-the-first-bonanza-steakhouse-in-an-old-bus-station

Interesting that there is also a small chain called Hoss's Steak and Seafood in PA (with one in WV), but since that was founded in 1983 I don't suspect there is any connection, unless the founder was just a fan of the show.