DENVER (KDVR) — A union representing thousands of workers in Colorado says that a business located in Denver’s Cheeseman Park closed its doors suddenly to stop a unionizing effort, but the business’s owners are denying the allegations.
However, the restaurant appears to have disappeared from the internet, leaving more questions than answers for those who patronized the location.
The Secret Garden Cafe at 1290 N. Williams Street was closed permanently on Friday by its owners, leaving workers stunned and scrambling to find new work. UFCW Local 7, a union representing the restaurant workers, said the workers had voted to unionize this summer and that contract negotiations were slated to begin. UFCW said the company told workers the business would close on Oct. 19.
“Instead, with no notice to employees or the community, the doors were abruptly shuttered while the café was open for business and immediately after union workers began circulating a petition seeking public support,” UFCW Local 7 said in a release. “Minutes after the closure, all online references to the café — including its website and social media accounts — have been taken down.”
FOX31 reached out to the company that owned the restaurant, City Street Investors, and received this statement:
“The restaurant, which operated at a significant loss since opening 13 months ago, was not financially sustainable. The decision to close is entirely unrelated to the recent employee unionization. An affiliated restaurant, YumCha in Central Park closed four days earlier for the same reason.”
YumCha’s online presence still exists, with its website thanking patrons for their support and pointing customers toward “sister restaurants” in Denver.
UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova was blunt, calling the closing “retaliatory” and a violation of federal law.
“It is particularly galling that City Street Investors, a major participant in public-private development partnerships around Denver, would direct such a blatant campaign of union busting,” Cordova also said.
City Street Investors partners with restaurants inside Denver’s Union Station, including Milkbox Ice Creamery, Baume and The Cooper Lounge, as well as restaurants throughout the metro, including Billy’s Inn, Arvada Beer Garden, Edgewater Beer Garden and Sloan’s Bar and Grille.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
