NEW RESTAURANT COMES AS PARENT COMPANY SALES DOWN
By URIAH KISER
NORTH STAFFORD, Va. — A new seafood restaurant chain aims to bring a bit of the beach to Garrisonville Road.
Marlin and Rays, a new concept restaurant from Ruby Tuesday, opened its doors in the Doc Stone shopping center this week. The new restaurant was converted from a Ruby Tuesday, a restaurant long known for their casual dining locations inside shopping malls and for their salad bar.
Marlin and Rays offers a mix of surf and turn on their menu, from Grouper to blackened chicken to sirloin steak. They also offer a line of “adult slushy” frozen drinks and happy hour specials in what appears to be an effort mix more flavorful drinks into the dining experience.
The restaurant is one of nine opened within the chain, which also includes a Marlin and Rays near Manassas on Va. 234.
The opening of Marlin and Rays comes at a time when sales are down at parent company Ruby Tuesday. According to their most recent earnings report, the chain founded in the 1972 has seen a loss in same-restaurant sales and has been forced to close at least one Ruby Tuesday, and plans to close 25 to 27 more Ruby Tuesday restaurants in the next quarter.
“We continue to be focused on controlling our costs and have made significant progress in both identifying and implementing cost-savings initiatives. Our annualized savings discussed last quarter, which are primarily in the areas of procurement, occupancy, and maintenance, are now estimated in the range of $35-$40 million, or approximately $20 million higher than our previous estimates. The majority of these savings will be reinvested into our marketing programs,” said Ruby Tuesday CEO Sandy Beall.
The company reports a net income $4.5 million third quarter sales, which is down five percent.
In an effort to boost the bottom line, Ruby Tuesday announced the purchase of Lime Fresh Mexican Grill for $24 million.
The company closed a Ruby Tuesday location at Potomac Mills mall, but a location at Aquia Town Center in North Stafford remains open.
