A national coffee chain, Foxtrot Market, unexpectedly closed its doors Tuesday in a move so abrupt that some customers were still inside when notice was given.
The shop announced the closure of all 33 Foxtrot Market locations across Chicago, Austin, Dallas, and Washington D.C. in an Instagram post on Tuesday. Four of those locations were in Dallas.
“This decision has not been made lightly, and we understand the impact it will have on you, our loyal customers, as well as our dedicated team members,” read the post.
“We understand that this news may come as a shock, and we apologize for any inconvenience it may cause,” it continued, adding that closures would be effective immediately following the posting.
In an email shared with The Dallas Morning News, the company revealed its plans to file for bankruptcy. Employees were told in the email that they would no longer be employed at the end of the day.
“You are not to report to your assigned work location on or after Wednesday, April 24, 2024, unless specifically requested to do so,” the email read.
The closing comes five months after the company merged with Dom’s Kitchen & Market in November 2023, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. The press release called the merger a “prosperous partnership,” saying this was only the beginning of “curated products and experiences” customers might expect from the brands.
As part of the deal, Foxtrot and Dom’s Kitchen & Market fell under a new entity, Outfox Hospitality. Foxtrot co-founders stepped down to hold advisor and board roles within the organization.
Since Tuesday’s abrupt closures, a lawsuit has been filed against Outfox Hospitality by a Foxtrot employee in Chicago, per Block Club Chicago. The lawsuit alleges that Outfox violated Illinois’ WARN Act, which legally requires a 60-day notice to employees in mass firings. According to the filing, nearly 1,000 employees could be eligible to take part in the legal action.
Texas has a similar WARN Act that requires businesses to provide a 60-day notice to employees before closing. It’s unclear if Dallas or Austin Foxtrot employees plan to file a complaint yet.
“We just found out our store is closing today at 12,” said a Chicago Foxtrot employee in a TikTok, showing the current time as 10:14 a.m. “And by closing, I mean the entire chain is shutting down.”
The video shows two employees discussing how they should tell the store full of customers that the shop would be closing in less than two hours.
@sadkiwigirl found out 2 hours before that our company was closing nationwide!!! anyone know how to file for unemployment??? if you’re able to help out here’s my venmo: julia-harlos ??❤️ #fyp #capitalism #barista #baristalife #foxtrotmarket
♬ Frolic (Theme from “Curb Your Enthusiasm” TV Show) – Luciano Michelini
TikTok users commented on the video in disbelief.
“It’s crazy too [because] foxtrot is always so busy. SO WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING,” said a user named Bailey.
Other users encouraged the employees to take home espresso machines, food, wall art, and other items in the story.
“Something doesn’t smell right with the Foxtrot Market news announced today,” popular TikTok user Ken Waks said in a video posted Tuesday. “There’s a lot of questions they’re going to have to answer, and potentially a lot of legal trouble they’re gonna face.”
The four Foxtrot locations in Dallas were at 2822 McKinney Ave., 3130 Knox St., 3606 Greenville Ave., and 6565 Hillcrest Ave.
