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Wilson's Restaurant closing after 10 years

Submitted by WWAY on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 4:57pm.READ MORE:
wilsons300.jpg
Tough economic times have caused one local restaurant to close its doors, leaving 75 people without jobs. Larry Wilson said he was forced to close Wilson's Restaurant due to the slumping economy. Today, the Wilson’s left a note on the restaurant door to alert former customers of the news. The restaurant, which had been open since 1998, had 10 full-time and 65 part-time employees. According to the sign, all money for scheduled banquets will be refunded.

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Games at Wilson's

Submitted by Shannon Fullwood (not verified) on Tue, 10/06/2009 - 10:40am.
Just wanted to let you know that the games at WILSON'S are being sold this Friday at 10am. Ray Floyd of Floyd's Auction who conducted the previous sale will be doing this one as well. There will be a variety of games for sale as well as the Roller Coaster Simulator.
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Update: Classless

Submitted by OnTheInside (not verified) on Mon, 01/26/2009 - 1:56pm.
As a former employee of Wilson's I must comment on the fallout of the closing. Larry Wilson, the upstanding and generous man that he is, did not pay the employees' insurance for the last month of business operations, resulting in a lapse of insurance for said employees. Now it has come to our attention that he has failed to pay the payroll company and employees will not be mailed their W-2's, an IRS violation that they will be made aware of after the W-2 deadline. This guy thinks he can do what he wants because he has a bit of money. The truth is he is a piece of human garbage.
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Loretta i just got mine in

Submitted by sunnie (not verified) on Fri, 01/30/2009 - 4:54pm.
Loretta i just got mine in the mail today, i guess he had them done.
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I think its pretty crappy

Submitted by nunya (not verified) on Sat, 10/25/2008 - 7:59pm.
I think its pretty crappy how this all was handled .but on the other hand I for one am glad that my son no longer works there and will no longer endure the crappy work conditions. Im sure Larry did not wake up one day and said "well I dont feel I can do this anymore" BS he knew it was comming and he owed it to theses people who worked hard for him everyday some kind of notice. Alot of these kids are college students who live pay check to pay check. do you think this guy gives a crap. Hell NO But now is the time for these former employees to go out and find a good job that they deserve and will be appreciated for the hard work they do.. good luck to you all this actually may be a godsend
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People are just mean...

Submitted by former (not verified) on Sat, 10/25/2008 - 12:00am.
Ok, first of all, Larry and his management staff did call the employees. Second, how many of you have tried to run a business? It is very hard and people are very rude. I understand that some people have had a bad experience at the restaurant and I get that, but for people to just be mean and talk badly about a fellow person of our community is just distasteful. It sucks a lot that he closed, but he does have a family to take care and kids to put through college to cut him some slack. The food was not badly priced. Also, I am not sure how often everyone ate there but we had numerous regulars so something must have been good if they kept coming back. I understand that people are entitled to their opinions, and I am all for that, but man, people in our community are just harsh.
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No WAY

Submitted by WilmingtonMAJ on Mon, 01/26/2009 - 3:29pm.
Larry Wilson was from all accounts a millionaire when his family sold out their grocery store to Lowes years ago. If he squandered it on his trophy wife and his $2,000,000+ home in landfall I have little sympathy for him. I do feel bad for those that lost their job so unexpectedly.
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Great news!

Submitted by Guest777 (not verified) on Fri, 10/24/2008 - 10:36am.
This could mean that New Hanover County's diarrhea epidemic could be coming to an end soon.
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wilsons closing

Submitted by sabrina (not verified) on Thu, 10/23/2008 - 10:40am.
i am a friend of an enployee that was there at the time of closing for what ever the reason was for closing dosent really matter but for someone to show up for their regular shift and be turned away with shocking news as your laid off i think is just rediculos you must have seen this coming mr wilson
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Wilson's Closing

Submitted by Unsatisfied Customer (not verified) on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 4:29pm.
No surprise here that Wilson's is closing. I went there twice to eat and it was a dump that smelled and the food was absolutely awful. After two times never went back.
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It's no surprise, the place was a dump

Submitted by Straight Shooter (not verified) on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 8:47am.
Wilson's has been going down hill for years.
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Wilsons Closing due to recession? Whatever!

Submitted by Sick of Excuses (not verified) on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 8:32am.
I beleive Wilsons is not closing due the current ecomomy, thats an excuse. I used to take my familty there on a regular basis, up until about a year and a half to 2 years ago. (I think the ecomomy was ok then)Wilson's changed the menu a few different times and raised the prices to ridiculous heights. The games were another story, broken down on a regular basis, and if they were not broken down completely, componets of them were on a regular basis. Summer time was the most miserable of times due to the extreme heat inside the facility. I say using the economy is complete bull. Say what you mean Larry Wilson, it's because business has been declining for a couple of years. What about the ongoing rumors of "Dave and Busters" buying you out? The state of our ecomomy is a terrible thing for alot of people, but please do not use that issue to blanket your own problems.
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I'm a Former Employee...

Submitted by Former Employee (not verified) on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 3:22pm.
Who has to agree with you. Business started going downhill when the name was changed from Alleigh's to Wilson's. That same week 3 bars opened downtown. We went from making 300 each on a wednesday and 100 on a friday to making only 80 on wednesdays and like 30 dollars on a friday. I left shortly thereafter but from my perspective, the place never recovered.
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dave and busters

Submitted by jayroc (not verified) on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 8:59am.
A dave and Busters would be awesome. Had alot of fun everythime I went to wilsons, but they could never compare to a Dave and Busters!
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What amazes me

Submitted by SurfCityTom on Wed, 10/22/2008 - 6:01am.
is the lack of comments here. Bruce Cavenaugh closes one lot and cuts staff by 18. He is flogged as though he is an evil person despite all of his charitable and civic activities. Wilson closes; 75 people lose their jobs and the reaction is .... beat up the professors at UNCW. No negative comments about Mr. Wilson. I don't get it.
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Get a clue SurfCityTom

Submitted by Sick of Excuses (not verified) on Thu, 10/23/2008 - 8:47am.
Tom, you must not be paying too much attention to the current credit crisis we are currently having in this great country and obviously your knowledge of business is skewed. I dont know Mr. Cavenaugh personally, but I do know that you don't need a decent credit score to play a video game or eat a hamburger. Auto sales has been declining for years and with the current credit crisis, getting financing for an auto loan is as difficult as its ever been. You are sticking up for Mr. Wilson (who by the way is the same owner when it was Alleighs, his wife made him change the name to Wilsons) some of the biggest auto dealers in the country have closed, major manufacturers have closed plants, all the salesmen have families to feed. As sad as the closing of Wilsons is sad for the 75 people, 90% of them are college students working part time. It will be easier for them to find jobs that it will be for the salespeople selling cars for a living. Wilsons has been going down for years, when the economy was good. people didnt stop going there because of the ecomomy, they stopped going because it became a sad sad, high priced, dirty, broken place to try and have a god time. Management killed Wilsons, not Wall Street. Get a clue SurfCityTom.
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Just because Larry says 10

Submitted by looking for a job! thanks! (not verified) on Thu, 10/23/2008 - 8:13pm.
Just because Larry says 10 percent of his workers are college kids that mom and dad pay for there bills. Doesn't mean that it is true!!! Coming from someone that worked there. No one would worked in that hell whole if they didn't have bills to pay. Mr. Wilson screwed us allover big time and he doesn't even care. He told Banquets about the closing before he even told employees that worked for him for over 5 years!!!!!
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Take a reading lesson

Submitted by SurfCityTom on Thu, 10/23/2008 - 9:05am.
Quite the contrary; I did not stick up for Mr. Wilson. I questioned why everyone could beat up Bruce Cavenaugh when he closed one lot and discharged 17 or 18 employees. Yet when Mr. Wilson closes and 75 are laid off there are no negative comments. Mr. Cavenaugh went on the air and stated his case; Mr. Wilson posted a note on the door. Maybe you should learn to read the entire post before you jump to conclusions.
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Sad

Submitted by Guest2345 (not verified) on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 10:35pm.
Now parents on that side of town won't have a built in baby sitter anymore.. Its off to the nieghborhood boys and girls clubs for you... Sad Sad
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And just a short while ago

Submitted by Doc (not verified) on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 7:20pm.
And just a short while ago our local news media had reports from economic professors from UNCW speaking locally saying how we are in good shape here in the Cape Fear area. The Emperors Clothes!
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Those who can...

Submitted by sdsurfer (not verified) on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 8:20pm.
do. Those who can't...teach! I seriously doubt the economics professors at UNCW have much real-world experience. As you know, the academic world isn't "real-world"...but merely theoretical and philosophical.
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Now that just blows chunks!

Submitted by Andrew Rhodes on Tue, 10/21/2008 - 9:07pm.
I hadn't been too often, but I did like the interactive video games like the raft rowing and the boxing game. And the roller coaster simulator was the closest thing I will EVER get to a real roller coaster. It's a real shame. Decent enough place. Hate to see it go. Andrew
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Wilson's Closing

Submitted by katie (not verified) on Fri, 05/27/2011 - 10:35am.

I haven't been to Wilmington in a few years, now that I'm here, I'm saddened by the fact that my favorite all you can eat (crab legs included) Tuesday night buffet is closed...despite reading previous posts, I'm saddened, I really enjoyed going to Wilson's on my trips here...

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