‘Cursed’ Route 9 Golden Corral Closes Again, Building For Sale

I guess having a Golden Corral in Poughkeepsie just wasn't meant to be.

It appears that the infamous Poughkeepsie restaurant is adding a new chapter to its troubled history. On Thursday morning a sign was being erected in front of the Route 9 Golden Corral announcing that the building was for sale... again.

If you've been following the dramatic story of the Golden Corral you'd be forgiven to think the building may be somewhat cursed. The ill-fated restaurant has had a long, troubled past filled with many twists and turns. When the restaurant originally debuted in early 2017 it was plagued with management issues. Customers complained of food that was sub-par and promised buffet items that just weren't available. Stories of an overdose in the restaurant bathroom and a dispute with workers over unpaid wages contributed to Golden Corral's eventual closure.

After the chain vowed to never open a restaurant on the property again, Dutchess County residents came to grips with the fact that they had seen the last of Golden Corral. But then, in the Fall of 2018 the company had a change of heart. The restaurant reopened its doors to the public under new ownership, with the promise that things would be run the right way.

With a full parking lot and rave reviews from happy customers, it seemed as though Golden Corral beat the odds and redeemed itself from one of the most disastrous restaurant openings in Hudson Valley history.

Then the pandemic hit.

Buffet restaurants across the country closed down, wondering if they would ever open again. The Golden Corral in Poughkeepsie followed other locations in suspending operations. As restrictions for indoor dining were lifted, restaurants began to reopen, including the Golden Corral in Middletown, which transformed their buffet into "cafeteria-style" dining where customers could still enjoy endless food but had to stay at their tables while it was delivered to them.

As other Golden Corral restaurants across the region began to reopen, the Poughkeepsie location remained closed. The empty building led many to wonder if the buffet would ever reopen. Unfortunately, it now appears that Golden Corral is now shuttered permanently.

On Thursday a worker was out front erecting an enormous sign announcing the restaurant's vacancy. The billboard is similar to the one that appeared in 2017, announcing that the building was for sale or lease. Suggestions for the potential buyers of the property include a new restaurant, auto parts store, retail or medical business.

Golden Corral still lists the Poughkeepsie location as "temporarily closed" on their website. A request for information about the status of the franchise was not returned.