JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Craftworks Holdings, the parent company of popular area restaurants like A1A Ale Works, Ragtime Tavern and Seven Bridges, fired all of its employees this week as the COVID-19 pandemic dragged on across the country, but said on Friday that it hopes to reopen those at some point in the future.
The termination applied to 18,000 employees across the company, with a number of those coming in the First Coast area. According to the New York Post, it planned to keep fewer than 25 employees.
Compounding matters is that Craftworks was already navigating a challenging period financially. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in early March, closing more than three dozen restaurants in the process.
That was before the COVID-19 pandemic largely paralyzed the country and wrecked the food and beverage service industry. It closed its restaurants prior to mandates that allowed pickup and takeout orders. And when news began circulating about the layoffs company-wide, it prompted speculation that the combined bad news of bankruptcy and the pandemic, may shutter many of those popular restaurants for good.
Josh Kern, Craftworks’ Chief Experience Officer, said in an email to News4Jax on Friday that was not the case.
“Yes, we will reopen those locations when we get the all clear from local, state and federal officials. We cannot wait for that day to be open again!,” he said. “Yes, confirmed we will reopen when we have the all clear.”
That’s a small slice of positive news for area restaurant-goers.
Ragtime in Atlantic Beach has been a fixture in the area since opening in 1983. A1A Ale Works in St. Augustine sits in a desirable location with a view of the bayfront. Seven Bridges is located on the Southside. Logan’s Roadhouse at the River City Marketplace is another Craftworks restaurant.
According to the website Westword, an email sent to employees by Craftworks last Tuesday informed them that they were being terminated immediately, with no extension of benefits.
“Effective March 31, 2020, the status of all team members will be revised from furloughed to terminated," Marc Buehler, CEO of CraftWorks Holdings, wrote in the email published by Westword. “You will receive additional communication from our third-party administrator regarding your benefit selections and how you can handle this transition.”