The restaurant chain O’Charley’s will close its Meridian location on Bonita Lakes Drive after business effective on Sunday, Sept. 29, according to a statement from Craig Barber, president of O’Charley’s.

“As a longtime part of this community, we appreciate our guests and the many friends we made over the years. We are grateful to our team members who so capably served our guests and are assisting them in transitioning to other stores or new employment,” the statement said.

O’Charley’s has more than 200 locations in 17 states, serving “classic American food with a Southern accent,” according to the chain’s website.

No other closings were announced.

“As part of our initiatives to elevate performance of our O’Charley’s brand and support its long term value creation, we have carefully analyzed each location’s unique characteristics,” Barber said in a statement. “As is common within our industry, market strength and traffic patterns for specific locations of a brand change while competition evolves. Based on this strategic and important process, we are closing this location.”

Gift cards may be redeemed at any O’Charley’s location, the statement said.

The announcement follows several other tenant changes near Bonita Lakes Mall in recent months. 

The Sears store closed last winter, along with dozens of others across the country.

It is expected to be replaced by Hype Indoor Adventures, an indoor recreation and entertainment park.

The 92,000-square-foot facility will include climbing walls, 150 wall-to-wall trampolines, an Olympic trampoline area, a high ropes course, laser tag, foam pits with battle beams, axe throwing, aerial silks, an indoor electric go-kart track and batting cages, according to a mall news release. 

Two other Bonita Lakes stores have closed: JC Penney in 2017 and Geoffrey in 2018. 

The closures were among dozens of others nationwide announced by the companies. 

A new Ulta Beauty is under construction at Meridian Crossroads, in the former locations of Maurices and LifeWay Christian Store.

David Garfunkel of David Garfunkel & Co., LLC, who oversees operations at the shopping center, said he was hopeful the store would open by the first week of November. 

Hobby Lobby, part of a separate project, Crossroads II, is expected to open in late December, according to a company spokesperson.

Two new restaurants are also planned for South Frontage Road.

Owner Billy Wang said he hoped to open a boiled seafood restaurant, Kickin’ Crab, at the former Ryan’s location on 207 S. Frontage Road in December.

Fast food chain Cook Out has obtained a building permit for a location just north of the Walmart on South Frontage Road, according to Laura Carmichael, Meridian’s community development director.