Great Maple Workers Angry About the Unexpected Closure at Del Amo Mall

After an abrupt closing in late October, Great Maple at the Del Amo Fashion Center left 100 employees out of work, with no explanations about what happened. The chain has locations in Newport Beach, San Diego, and even opened a Pasadena location in October.

First reported by The Daily Breeze, the Torrance closure still remains a mystery. A cook arrived on October 25, only to find furniture being moved out. Employees reportedly showed up for a staff meeting, and received little information from the co-owner and CFO about the location’s future. The restaurant’s disappearance occurred two years after Del Amo’s $300 million dollar renovation, where 180,000 square feet was converted to 420,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.

Former employee Marisa Johnson reported a decline in business while retrospectively noting some unusual activity. Torrance employees trained managers and staff for the Pasadena location. The general manager moved to another Great Maple shortly after she joined the staff, but the company did not replace the GM.

The chain appears to be performing well in Newport Beach’s Fashion Island, and well enough to open a new and large operation in Pasadena. Great Maple will likely take a close look at their strategic plans to ask a number of questions. Namely, was Del Amo the best choice for a restaurant like Great Maple?

• Workers still bitter over abrupt closure of Great Maple at Del Amo mall [Daily Breeze]
• Great Maple Is a Chain Restaurant That’s Engineered for Modern Dining Culture [ELA]