Applebee's restaurant closed in Thousand Oaks despite doing well, according to Thousand Oaks economic development manager Gary Wartik. "The Thousand Oaks store was doing well, but it was a part of a chain that filed for bankruptcy for other reasons," Wartik said.

The owner's bankruptcy resulted in seven Applebee's locations closing last month, including those in T.O, Simi and Camarillo.

The Applebee's here was at T.O. and Westlake boulevards.

"Hopefully they will find another operator for the building," Wartik said.

Other area restaurants that have closed in the past two years include Stuart Anderson's Black Angus, Hungry Hunter and Marie Callender's. Those locations have remained vacant.

The Stuart Anderson's location near the newly renovated Oaks mall has had offers from restaurants that want to open there, but the offers have been turned down by a selective owner, Wartik said.

The Hungry Hunter was in a vintage building on Moorpark Road that's undergoing renovation, Wartik said. The Marie Callender's building on T.O. Boulevard is in better shape, but both eateries closed when nearby retail wasn't expanding, Wartik said.

During a recession, restaurants are vulnerable because dining out decreases when families cut expenses.

"A restaurant with a small profit or just breaking even will fall easily into the red, and may not be able to weather the storm," Wartik said.

Each restaurant closed quickly without giving some employees advanced warning.