Popular Atlanta Restaurant Group Closes Suddenly

ATLANTA - Hundreds are left without work after a restaurant company suddenly closes eleven Metro Atlanta restaurants. 

Popular restaurants throughout the area, including Twist, Noche, Prime, Shucks, Smash and others are closed leaving its employees to quickly find new jobs after they suddenly closed Monday.  The restaurant group that owns the restaurants, Here to Serve posted this message on their website. 

“We apologize for the inconvenience, we are working on reorganization.  Hopefully we will be HERE TO SERVE you again soon!”

An employee at Noche in Virginia Highland tells FOX 5’s Nathalie Pozo he was in the middle of his shift Monday night when the manager received an email from the owner that they were shutting their doors the next day.

“You know what we did yesterday, we worked until the last moment and closed and we did our job,” said Leonardo Loria Rico, a 10 year employee at Noche.  “Knowing that there was no tomorrow for us in that company, why did they not do the same for us.”

Loria said employees were supposed to get paid last Friday, but no one did. Loria said in the email the owner said employees will be paid Wednesday.

Other local restaurants have gotten together to support those left without jobs.  Restaurants are posting their openings on this Facebook page. Employees are finding comfort in the support the industry is showing them during their time of need.