LAFAYETTE, La. — On a regular Tuesday afternoon last week, close to 30 employees showed up to work only to find they had all lost their jobs.
When employees arrived to work at the local Hooters, all they saw were the doors locked and a sign on the entrance, saying it has closed down after 25 years.
This left employees out in the cold and no job stability.
"Managers didn't mention anything. As far as I know, our managers didn't even know about the situation. It was a complete shock," Courville said.
Gracie Courville has been working at the Hooters for two and half years. She says this sudden job loss has left her and other coworkers at a stand still.
"Just having to go out and find another job so abruptly and file for unemployment," she says.
President of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, Mandi Mitchell, spoke to KATC about the sudden closing of recent establishments and if those in the restaurant industry should be concerned.
"No, there is not a trend of our economy shrinking at all quite the opposite and it's not a sign of future troubles in the restaurant sector," Mitchell stated.
Mitchell also wanted to reassure that despite the closures around the city, the restaurant business continues to boom.
"I can probably name for you 10-15 other openings or expansions on both local and national chain restaurants choosing to locate their operation in Lafayette," she says.
Over at the Cajun Table, located at 4510 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy, staff offered to lend a helping hand to those affected by offering a chance to put in an application.
Managers there say they even hired two former Hooters employees.
"With the mom and pop restaurants, we care for our servers as a family and our kitchen staff as a family. We would think that would be the norm for everyone in the area," Manager Kyle Monceaux expresses.
Courville is thankful to hear how other businesses have stepped up to help.
"I think the locals stepping in to help is really awesome to the community not only for the employees at Hooters, but it shows other companies how you can help people in need," Courville says.
