Downtown San Diego's Donovan's Steak & Chophouse Is First Area Restaurant To Close Amid Coronavirus Hysteria

March 14, 2020

More than amid the continued Coronavirus hysteria and we fear San Diego may follow suit. The first area restaurant to announce its impending closure due to growing COVID-19 precautions is the Gaslamp Quarter's Donovan's Steak & Chophouse.

"As a measure of community solidarity concerning the safety of our staff & guests, Donovan’s will be closed after tonight’s dinner run," the restaurant announced on its social media channels. We will keep you updated on any decisions made regarding reopening. Thank you for your understanding. Please stay informed, safe & kind as we all deal with the reverberation of these precautions. In the wake of San Diego’s current tourism drop, convention cancelations, social distancing recommendations & employee policies, permanent recalibration is imminent for the hospitality industry, as a whole. Unfortunately, the hit taken in regards to COVID-19 may very well be the final blow for many within the industry. We will update you, as we move forward."

Partners Dan Shea and Don Wollan owned nearly 90s Hardee’s restaurants throughout Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee before opening their first Donovan's location in 1997 on La Jolla Village Drive in La Jolla. The group eventually expanded withÌýDonovan's locations in Downtown San Diego, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.ÌýIn September 2014, the Brigantine Group's Steakhouse at Azul and the flagship Donovan's Steak & Chophouse near UTC both announced their closures at around the same time. Donovan's ceased its operation at the UTC location in January 2015, and the space eventually became an incarnation of Rick Bayless's Red O restaurant with Donovan's moving to its oceanfront eatery in La Jolla Village. Donovan's officially ended its run in La Jolla this past December. After 12 years in business, the last remaining Donovan's at 570 K Street in downtown San Diego will shutter after tonight's service and the company is unsure whether they will reopen.

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