Jillian's
Encyclopedia
Jillian's is a restaurant
and entertainment
chain with locations in the United States
. Jillian's locations as of December 2009 include the original location in Boston, MA as well as Albany, NY; Charlotte, NC; Columbia, SC; Cleveland Heights, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Manchester, NH; Norfolk, VA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Universal City, CA; Worcester, MA; and Youngstown, OH.
club located near Fenway Park
in Boston, Massachusetts. The club was "named" for a woman named Gillian Foster, who was then the spouse
of the establishment's founder. The couple later founded the chain Lucky Strike Lanes. Within several years, the owners opened another branch in Seattle, Washington
. By the early 1990s, it had become a competitor of Dave & Buster's
, expanding its locations to include restaurant
s, video games, bowling alleys, nightclub
s, and conference rooms. By 2000, there were roughly 30 locations in the U.S. and one in Montréal, Québec, Canada
. In 2004, Jillian's Entertainment Holdings, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
and arranged to sell its assets. Nine of the Jillian's locations and the Jillian's tradename were sold to Dave & Buster's
. At least some of these locations were eventually converted to operation under the Dave & Buster's name, and some were rebranded as "Dave & Buster's Grand Sports Cafe". In 2009, D&B, which itself was going through the process of being sold from one venture capital firm to another, sold the rights to the name to Gemini Investors. That company later established JBC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. to operate these locations.
Three of the locations no longer exist: the location at Neonopolis
in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada
(which closed in 2008 after also being used as a concert venue) and the location at Peabody Place in Memphis, Tennessee
, which shut down in 2009, and the Jillians of Youngstown, Ohio by the Southern Park Mall was closed down on January 30, 2011 but for reasons unknown.
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
and entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
chain with locations in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Jillian's locations as of December 2009 include the original location in Boston, MA as well as Albany, NY; Charlotte, NC; Columbia, SC; Cleveland Heights, OH; Indianapolis, IN; Manchester, NH; Norfolk, VA; San Francisco, CA; Seattle, WA; Universal City, CA; Worcester, MA; and Youngstown, OH.
History
Jillian's was founded in 1985 as a billiardsBilliards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
club located near Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
in Boston, Massachusetts. The club was "named" for a woman named Gillian Foster, who was then the spouse
Wife
A wife is a female partner in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the wife regarding her spouse and others, and her status in the community and in law, varies between cultures and has varied over time.-Origin and etymology:...
of the establishment's founder. The couple later founded the chain Lucky Strike Lanes. Within several years, the owners opened another branch in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. By the early 1990s, it had become a competitor of Dave & Buster's
Dave & Buster's
Dave & Buster's is an American restaurant and entertainment business headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Each D&B has a full-service restaurant and a video arcade. As of July 1, 2009, the company had 57 locations across the United States and two in Canada. The company also licenses the D&B concept...
, expanding its locations to include restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, video games, bowling alleys, nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s, and conference rooms. By 2000, there were roughly 30 locations in the U.S. and one in Montréal, Québec, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In 2004, Jillian's Entertainment Holdings, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
and arranged to sell its assets. Nine of the Jillian's locations and the Jillian's tradename were sold to Dave & Buster's
Dave & Buster's
Dave & Buster's is an American restaurant and entertainment business headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Each D&B has a full-service restaurant and a video arcade. As of July 1, 2009, the company had 57 locations across the United States and two in Canada. The company also licenses the D&B concept...
. At least some of these locations were eventually converted to operation under the Dave & Buster's name, and some were rebranded as "Dave & Buster's Grand Sports Cafe". In 2009, D&B, which itself was going through the process of being sold from one venture capital firm to another, sold the rights to the name to Gemini Investors. That company later established JBC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. to operate these locations.
Three of the locations no longer exist: the location at Neonopolis
Neonopolis
Neonopolis, a shopping mall, is a $100 million entertainment complex in Las Vegas, Nevada located on top of a $15 million city parking garage. It is located on the Fremont Street Experience, at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard...
in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
(which closed in 2008 after also being used as a concert venue) and the location at Peabody Place in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, which shut down in 2009, and the Jillians of Youngstown, Ohio by the Southern Park Mall was closed down on January 30, 2011 but for reasons unknown.