Three of Bremerton’s most visible, and arguably popular restaurants all shut their doors within a week of each other last month.

The Keg Steakhouse, located in Bremerton’s hospital district for 11-1/2 years, closed down on Jan. 19. The popular eatery’s 45 employees were offered the option of transferring to another Keg, but the nearest ones are in Tacoma and near Sea-Tac Airport.

The Bremerton unit was one of 81 owned by a Canadian corporation and the only one being closed, according to Bremerton manager Debbie Diehl, who had worked at the restaurant since it opened in 1990.

Despite the somewhat out-of-the-way location Diehl said business was strong. Calls to the corporation’s Vancouver, British Columbia, offices for comment were not returned by press time

Diehl said the company is beginning to franchise its stores and she thought a future one in Silverdale was a possibility.

The building is owned by retired Bremerton doctor A.R. Islam who reportedly will remodel it into medical offices.

The Bremerton Godfather’s Pizza, located at Sheridan Avenue and Wheaton Way just up the street from The Keg also closed. It fell victim to the double whammy of franchise overhead costs and a sagging economy according to owner Teizi Mersai. Mersai also owns and operates two franchises in Seattle and bought the Bremerton store a year and a half ago.

Godfather’s was built more than 20 years ago on a site that had originally been a NAPA Auto Parts store owned by Jerry Canter and Dennis Knapp. The sale of the property for construction of Godfather’s forced the pair to close their business. Both later went into real estate in the Port Orchard area.

Omaha, Nebraska-based Godfather’s has units in more than 30 states after starting out in 1973. One Godfather’s remains at the South Kitsap Mall

The 38-year-old VIP’s Restaurant & Lounge at 4305 Kitsap Way, which was considered a Bremerton landmark, was the third Bremerton restaurant to call it quits that week.

Owner Mike Chu couldn’t be reached for comment. A letter thanking customers and employees, was taped to the lounge’s door. It read, “We apologize for the sudden closure, but we unfortunately have run our course.” The restaurant is now offered for sale by Reid Realty.

VIP’s and the adjacent Best Western Bremerton Inn were built in 1963 and owned by the late Sam Fitz and his wife Eileen until late 1989. They sold VIP’s a couple of times, having to take it back when the owners defaulted. Dean Gehring later ran it from about 1978 to 1986.

Ironically, Eileen Fitz later went into real estate with the same Bremerton office of Reid Realty it is now listed with.