Lubbock Laments Loss Of Dennys On Avenue Q: A Late-Night Tradition Fades Away

There are a certain group of us who really like to hit up the restaurants after a show, and one of our favorite places is now a memory.

After Show Eats

Of course Denny's was/is known for serving breakfast and the hotel/motel crowd, but my memories come from some place else. After a rock show we'd hit up Denny's, IHOP, The Kettle, and Skillet's for some serious late night grubbin'. Some folks had the same experience with Lone Wolf, and some still like to hit him Mama Josie's or Whataburger. Back in the day, Denny's was actually considered the more upscale place to go after a show.

Denny's Is Done

Lubbock is now down to one Denny's as the restaurant on Avenue Q has packed it in. The familiar signage is completely gone, and it really changes the look of the area. There was always something comforting about knowing Denny's was right there. There is now a posted note on the door saying it's closed for good and to visit the other location. The hotel next door actually has a sign up that says "Restaurant For Rent".

So What's Up?

I can't speak to how many people eat over in that area. I know Riversmith's across the street is always packed. I also know that tons of student apartments are going up in that area and one would think that Denny's would be about as close to a home-style cooked meal that they could get. Then again, Avenue Q has a bad rap, whether it deserves it or not.

What's Left?

So I actually went into the Denny's parking lot, up on the sidewalk and then looked into the windows. I was struck by how great the landscaping and even exterior of the building still were. I expected things to look a little more sad than they did, but everything I could see looked surprisingly good. I, of course, can't speak to the condition of the interior, but it sure looks like someone may be able to make a nice go of it at this location.