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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Louisville Kentucky To Remain Home Port For Long John Silvers

02/15/2012
New ownership at the helm of Long John Silver's will keep the fast-food restaurant firm's worldwide corporate headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky.

LJS Partners acquired Long John Silver's from Louisville-based YUM! Brands in December, after it sold Long John Silver's and A&W Restaurants individually to separate buyers.

"We're excited that we will be able to keep as many as 70 jobs here in Louisville with the promise of more to come as we work to grow our business and enlarge our footprint, both domestically and internationally," LJS Partners President and CEO Mike Kern said. "Kentucky is our birthplace and many of our employees have been with us from the beginning. We look forward to continuing a long and productive relationship here at home."

Long John Silver's was founded in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1969, but moved its headquarters to Louisville in 2003 when it became part of YUM! Brands.

To encourage LJS Partners to keep the headquarters operation in Kentucky, the state Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved LJS Partners for tax incentives of up to $1.5 million through the Kentucky Business Investment Program. The performance-based incentive can be earned over the term of the agreements through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting specific job and wage targets.

"Congratulations to the Long John Silver's team for successfully purchasing this business and keeping it in Louisville, also keeping important jobs here," Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said. "This purchase and subsequent investment in Louisville underscore the strength and importance of one of our core business clusters, the food and beverage sector."

Even more good news for state economic development officials is that both companies decided to keep their headquarters in Kentucky, with A&W locating in Lexington and Long John Silver's in Louisville.

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