Macaroni Grill, in Brentwood, closed this morning, a corporate operations manager said today at the location on Eager Road, with a security guard at his side.
Brentwood mayor, Pat Kelly first leaked the news that Chick-fil-A would replace Macaroni Grill at the location in a public meeting in late September; planning and zoning approved the use in early December. It has not passed the board of aldermen.
According to News Channel 4, Macaroni Grill locations in South County, Chesterfield, and Mid Rivers were also closed today. Employees and customers were given no notice.
A Macaroni Grill employee at the Brentwood location emailed 40 South News in September that restaurant management denied the restaurant was closing after the news broke, and continued to tell employees their jobs were not in danger. The employee said she and others didn’t believe it. She said the St. Louis employees were told Monday morning at 8 a.m. on a conference call they were being laid off. She said 35-40 worked at the Brentwood restaurant.
Restaurant manager, Stephanie Cummings, had no comment when contacted.
See also: Einstein Bros. set to open in January: co-owner
Chick-fil-A vice president-public relations, Carrie Kurlander wrote in a statement on Dec. 29, “We anticipate opening a restaurant in Brentwood during the second half of 2015, providing up to 80 jobs and an active commitment to supporting local schools and charities,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
This is very sad for the employees at the Macaroni Grills, especially right after Christmas. The one in St. Peters, MO had a great atmosphere, wonderful employees, and great food. It isn’t right the way the owners handled this.
Has this application passed the Board of Alderman? Your article makes it sound as though it has. The P & Z board is simply one of recommendation.
Gary – the Chick-fil-A has not passed the Brentwood Board of Aldermen. I’ve added that to the article.
Just why are they closing??? Very sorry for all losing their jobs. Lets hope Chick-fil-A will hire many of them.
It could be another hedge fund carve-up:
“Private equity firms often buy businesses with lots of real estate assets, like nursing homes, restaurants or retail outlets. They then split the company in two: one owns all the real estate, and one manages the rest of the business. The operating company now has to lease back the real estate from the property company, paying rent on what it used to own. The private equity firm, meanwhile, can take profits from the lease payments or by selling the entire real estate portfolio, making back its initial investment. The more expensive the leases, the more the private equity firm makes.”
http://www.salon.com/2014/09/17/the_real_olive_garden_scandal_why_greedy_hedge_funders_suddenly_care_so_much_about_breadsticks/
I am sorry for all those people who have lost their jobs. What a rough way to start a new year.