BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The Rainforest Cafe -- a popular chain restaurant at the Mall of America -- will be closing its doors, but only temporarily.
The restaurant, which is located on the first floor of the mall, will be shutting its doors for about three months starting on Jan. 18, according to Katelyn Roche, a spokesperson for Landry's, Inc which owns the Rainforest Cafe. In a statement Roche said the restaurant will be built from the ground up but will stay true to its adventure theme. It's slated to re-open Fall of 2015. The new location will be on the third floor next to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Steven Schussler, the creator of the restaurant, believes the renovation is a testament to its success. Schussler sold the company to Landry's in 2000.
Employees of The Rainforest Cafe will be placed at other restaurants within Landry's Inc. until the new space is open. Construction will begin for the new Rainforest in January, with the same "beloved state-of-the-art animal creatures and special effects, including Tracy the Talking Tree."
The Rainforest Cafe opened at MOA on Oct. 4, 1994. There are 45 Rainforest Cafes on three continents.
