It's not easy to return to business after filing for bankruptcy, getting sued by your own employees, and going on a five-month hiatus.
However, this formerly bankrupt business may have defied all odds, this time under a different leadership.
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This café chain quickly gained the hearts of its community and became a local favorite in the urban areas of Chicago, Texas, and Washington D.C. due to its delicious freshly baked goods, cozy coffee bar, wide array of wines, great selection of local items and grab-and-go section, perfect for those living the fast-paced urban life.
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But all good things eventually come to an end, and this café chain had to hit rock bottom before getting back on its feet.
A hopeful merger goes wrong and lands in a shocking controversy
Late last year, Foxtrot and Dom's Kitchen & Market joined forces to form a company called Outfox Hospitality. This partnership aimed to develop multiple merger stores that would feature both the classic convenience store and a neighborhood café spanning major cities in the U.S.
However, the newly formed company didn't see its business flourish for long. Only five months after forming this partnership, it filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and was forced to shut down all its locations to pay off its accumulated high debt.
This abrupt bankruptcy filing left approximately 100 corporate employees and 1,000 service employees jobless without prior warning, as Outfox failed to inform its workforce of the closures beforehand.
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As soon as the shocking news settled in, Outfox's former employees filed a class-action lawsuit against the company for violating the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), which requires companies to give employees 60 days' notice before any planned closures or mass layoffs.
Foxtrot reopens its fifth location, and people have mixed feelings
After being wholly banished for five months, the now-renamed Foxtrot Café & Market quickly began reopening its doors to customers, now amounting to five locations in the Chicago area.
Foxtrot's fifth location reopened on Thursday, Dec. 5, in Chicago's River North, exactly three months after the reopening of its first location in Chicago's Gold Coast since the filing.
For every reopening, Foxtrot has celebrated the accomplishment by providing its morning customers with free drip coffee, but this time, the company is offering even more freebies and deals than before.
In addition to free coffee on opening day, those who show up on Friday will receive a complimentary Barbet sparkling beverage can with any purchase all day. Additionally, Foxtrot will host happy hours on Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. with $4 drafts and $7 wine pours.
Although Foxtrot is doing everything it can to erase its previous wrongdoings in hopes of getting back into the community's good graces, some still refuse to forget the past.
Foxtrot receives mixed opinions on its social media platforms amid its reopening spree
Foxtrot posted about the fifth reopening of its locations on the company's Instagram page, and once again, the comment section was bombarded with mixed opinions.
Various community members and vendors expressed their anger toward Foxtrot, with one commenting: "Didn't they just get out of bankruptcy proceedings? Why are they offering free stuff? They still owe a bunch of vendors like myself money after they folded last time."
Another angry user added: "What date will you be declaring bankruptcy and firing all of your employees without notice."
On the other hand, multiple people were asking Foxtrot to reopen its Southport location, and many still hold high hopes for its big Dallas return, as it had previously opened a few locations with its former merger company.
More Foxtrot News:
- Popular bankrupt restaurant chain reopens first store
- Formerly bankrupt restaurant chain reopens stores and delivery
- New owners of formerly bankrupt restaurant chain reopen locations
Others expressed their excitement for the opening of yet another Foxtrot location and all the deals it's offering customers.
One loyal customer commented: "Back to back happy hours?? Friday with Barbet?? Am I dreaming?"
Another user shared his support for the local chain by commenting: "Support local coffee shops!!"
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