YULEE, Fla. – Dozens of restaurant employees in Nassau County now don’t have jobs after Añejo Cocina in Yulee closed its doors and changed the locks.
Añejo Cocina is a Mexican restaurant with locations all over Florida.
People News4JAX spoke with said the Yulee location was usually pretty busy.
“We were planning on showing up having some tacos maybe a drink,” Evan Muys said.
Muys visited the restaurant on Tuesday but was met with a locked door. The inside was quiet and empty.
A note with the words “Temporarily closed” sat inside the window.
But even the employees at the restaurant said they were surprised by the sight.
“An answer would be nice,” a former host said. “We at least deserve an answer or an explanation.”
Employees said the restaurant has two sets of owners who have disagreed over the future of the business.
On Sunday, they said they were cleaning up the restaurant when some of the owners walked in changed the locks, and closed up shop.
The restaurant then posted a message on Facebook that said:
“Añejo Yulee is temporarily closed. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. We’ll be back soon to serve you!"
But dozens of employees said they didn’t receive any warning about the closure and don’t know when the restaurant will reopen. They said now they have to look for new jobs.
When asked if some advance notice would have helped, Camden Williams said, “I would’ve been disappointed, but it would’ve changed the situation drastically because I would’ve been able to have a job like today, yesterday I haven’t been able to work.”
And with the holidays around the corner, dozens of workers now need to figure out what’s next.
“Finally, I was getting my life in order and then back to zero again,” former server Samuel Bena said.
And the same situation is happening at the Salsa’s on Blanding Boulevard, which has the same owners.
News4JAX reached out to the restaurant owners but did not receive an immediate response.