California-born diner chain closes 106 restaurants after 48-year run

A California-born diner chain is getting a lot less magnifique.

Mimi’s Cafe — the French-inspired casual dining chain that launched near Disneyland nearly five decades ago — has now shed 106 restaurants since changing hands in 2013, including a string of closures in its home state.

The 48-year-old establishment pulled the plug on its outpost in Folsom, California on Aug. 16, marking the latest casualty in a relentless downsizing effort by its parent company, France-based conglomerate Groupe Le Duff.

“Thank you for your loyalty,” a goodbye message posted on the window read, according to the Folsom Times. “We’ll miss seeing you around our tables, and hope to see you at another Mimi’s soon.” Groupe Le Duff has not offered an official explanation for the closure.

With the Folsom closure, Mimi’s Cafe is down to just 39 locations across 10 states — a shadow of its former empire.

The retreat is particularly stark in Northern California. The region, reportedly once a stronghold for the chain, is now down to just a single location in Elk Grove, following closures in Arden Arcade, Roseville, and South Natomas.

Now, virtually everything inside the former Folsom restaurant is up for grabs.

The contents of the shuttered eatery are being liquidated in a massive online auction, with bidding set to end on Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. With $5 opening bids.

The fire sale includes pieces of the familiar French-bistro-inspired dining room, from booth sections measuring up to 36 feet long and curved booth stations to French bistro chairs, solid wood and drop leaf dining tables, antique cast-iron and stone-top pub tables, wrought-iron outdoor benches, mirrors and chalkboards.

The entire kitchen is being cleared out, too. Items up for auction include flat-top grills and broilers, an eight-burner range with dual ovens, a walk-in cooler and freezer, commercial reach-in refrigerators, a Koolaire ice maker, and more.

For generations of diners, Mimi’s became known for all-day breakfasts, fresh baked muffins and croissants. Despite the wave of closures, Mimi’s still has 24 locations in California.

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