The MOD Pizza location in Owensboro has closed permanently without advance notice, leaving about 20 employees suddenly out of work, according to the former general manager. But he said that within hours, community members and local businesses have already begun stepping in to help.
A sign posted on the restaurant’s door on Wednesday thanked customers for their patronage and confirmed the closure, stating the location is “now permanently closed.”
Matthew Slater, the store’s general manager at the time of closure, said the shutdown came abruptly following what had seemed like a routine day.
“I closed last night, and everything was super normal,” Slater said. “I got home and was sitting on the couch with my wife eating dinner, then I got a text asking if we could come in for a meeting the next morning. That was pretty normal because we usually meet one time a week, so I didn’t think anything of it.”
That changed quickly.
“When we got there [Wednesday morning], I noticed a lot of the tools were kind of stacked together,” he said. “Then he sat us down and said, ‘I hate to do this, but we’re closing permanently.’ I thought maybe it was a week or two out, but they said we weren’t even opening the doors today.”
Slater said the meeting lasted less than 10 minutes, and only he and one other employee were present. The remaining employees learned of the closure through a group message shortly after, Slater said.
“The group chat just blew up,” he said. “Everyone was like, ‘What’s happening?’ It was very, very sudden.”
Slater said the restaurant employed approximately 20 people, including five managers. Slater had only been in the general manager role since late December, leaving a nearly nine-year position at another local pizza chain for what he believed was a better opportunity. He said he never got to use the benefits he took the job for.
Despite the abrupt loss of jobs, Slater said the response from the Owensboro community has been immediate and encouraging. He said restaurants and other employers across the area have offered opportunities, and former staff members are coordinating together to help each other find new positions.
“We’re all working as a team to get everyone back on their feet,” Slater said. “Everyone’s got bills, mouths to feed. But the community has been amazing. We’re going to be okay.”
While the closure came without warning, Slater said the support that followed has made a difficult situation more manageable.
MOD Pizza was located at 2710 Heartland Crossing Boulevard Suite C, just off KY 54. It opened in February 2017.
