Old Chicago Parent Company Terminates 18,000 Employees

The parent company of Old Chicago has announced it is laying off its entire workforce of 18,000 employees, temporarily closing a Grand Junction restaurant.

Last month, Craftworks, the parent company of Old Chicago and other restaurant chains filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed 37 stores. Now they are letting all of their employees know they are out of a job - at least for now. In a letter to employees, the company said it hoped to re-hire many of its workers at a future date. The letter stated the status of team members was being revised "from furloughed to terminated."

So, where does that leave the Old Chicago restaurant in Grand Junction?

The Grand Junction Old Chicago Facebook page says the store is temporarily closed and a message on their website says the plan is to reopen the store at a later date.

Over the past few weeks, all of our lives have been impacted by the spread of the coronavirus. As the situation continues to evolve, we are following the recommendations of public health officials and government agencies to ensure we are doing all that is possible for you to remain protected.

After very careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close all of our restaurants. Our plan is to reopen at a later date which is yet to be determined.
- Old Chicago

The store closings and uncertain future appear to be the result of a combination of the bankruptcy filing last month and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has dramatically affected the restaurant business across the nation.

[WESTWORD]