A month after workers at its 624 E. Burnside Ave. location unionized, Sizzle Pie notified the union that it will close that location on Feb. 23.
The location employs 18 workers who voted Jan. 9 to unite as Sizzle Pie Workers United.
The landlord is evicting Sizzle Pie, according to a letter sent to the union by Dusti Guzman, chief human resources officer for Sustainable Restaurant Group, which owns Sizzle Pie.
“We’re definitely not going down without a fight,” said Victoria Clark, a member of the union’s steering committee. “We’re going to fight for a just transition and to get what we deserve from this company.”
In his letter, Guzman said the company was committed to working with the union through the closure.
Guzman wrote that Sizzle Pie has been operating on a month-to-month agreement for nearly a year while negotiating with the landlord. The company wanted to make significant upgrades like a new HVAC system, but wanted a five-year lease to recoup renovation costs, Guzman wrote.
“Unfortunately, our landlord has rejected our offers to renew our previous lease agreement and to invest significantly in the location’s future. We have been directed to vacate the space by Feb. 28, 2025, and therefore have no choice but to close this location,” Guzman wrote. The landlords were also unwilling to continue the month-to-month agreement, according to Guzman’s letter. He offered to set up a meeting if the union wanted to view correspondence between the company and the landlord.
The last day of service will be Feb. 23.
Sortis Holdings, which owns Sizzle Pie and the rest of Sustainable Restaurant Group, has had financial troubles for years and has faced evictions and lawsuits over unpaid bills.
“They spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on a lawyer union-busting us over the past few months, and all that time they could have just been paying their bills. Sortis is notorious for financial mismanagement and Sortis is the reason why we’re in this position today,” Clark said.
Sustainable Restaurant Group did not respond to questions about the closure.
