LAKELAND — Crispers, the popular soup, salad and sandwich chain that started in South Lakeland in 1989, is closing its doors permanently.

According to a message thread shared with The Ledger on Saturday, the company's last day of operation is Saturday. A worker at the Lakeside Village location in Lakeland confirmed the news Saturday morning.

Crispers was founded in Lakeland in 1989 at the Merchants Walk shopping center, and at one time had as many as 35 restaurants across Florida.

Lakeland-based Publix made an equity investment in Crispers in 2002 and then again in 2004 before purchasing the chain three years later and operating it as a wholly owned subsidiary. It sold the chain in 2011 to to Healthy Food Concepts LLC, a company formed by Miami-based private investment firm Boyne Capital.. In announcing the sale, Publix said it was getting out of the restaurant industry to focus on its core grocery business.

Although its ownership was based in Miami, the company listed its headquarters as Lakeland.

As of Saturday, only four restaurants remained in the chain: two in Lakeland, one in Winter Haven and another in Brandon. As of 2018, the company still had 28 restaurants.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland-based Crispers has closed after 30-year run