Spokane restaurateur Jim Becker and his partner, Jim Eagle, of Yakima, plan to close the Chapter Eleven restaurants here at 9304 N. Division and 7720 E. Sprague by Labor Day. The Chapter Eleven restaurant at 105 E. Mission will remain open.


The three restaurants currently employ a total of 90 people, and about 50 of those workers were notified last week that they will be laid off, Becker says. He says a number of them already have found other positions in Spokane.


The North Side restaurant, which has been located in a leased building near the Division Street Y since 1978, will close because the partners have lost their lease there, Becker says. He declines to say who will move into the building, and attempts to reach the buildings leasing agent at Tomlinson Black Commercial Inc. were unsuccessful.


Becker and Eagle decided to close the 25-year-old Chapter Eleven restaurant in the Spokane Valley because trying to serve the community with three locations just doesnt seem to be financially feasible anymore, Becker says.


In 1993, Becker and Eagle bought a parcel at Dakota Street and Holland Road, behind the Northpointe Plaza shopping center, and a sign has been up there for a number of years touting the coming of a Chapter Eleven restaurant. The partners, however, dont plan to open additional restaurants at this time, Becker says.


Becker and Eagle have decided to continue operating the Chapter Eleven restaurant on Mission because it is the most centrally located of the three establishments, Becker says. For now, no changes are planned there, he says.