DETROIT (WXYZ) — Punch Bowl Social in downtown Detroit will be permanently laying 97 employees, according to a WARN notice filed with the State of Michigan last week. The restaurant does plan to reopen.
According to the letter, the layoff results from "the unexpected and unforeseen business circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disaster."
Employees will be laid off immediately, and it includes everyone from servers to the executive chef.
According to a spokesperson, the company laid off staff so they could get unemployment and have consistent income, but the layoffs are permanent.
"When the government allows restaurants and bars to reopen, the company will determine appropriate timing to hire and train new staff," the spokesperson said.
Punch Bowl Social was one of the first restaurants to open in downtown Detroit after bankruptcy in 2013, and features games, food and drinks on two levels.
