The Original Pantry Cafe, a historic downtown Los Angeles diner since 1950, has closed its doors for good after a labor dispute with workers. The restaurant, once owned by former L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan, was a beloved spot for customers seeking old-school flair and breakfast dishes.
Employees had been coming to the restaurant for decades and were part of the Unite Here Local 11 union. When new ownership took over two years ago, after Riordan’s death, workers held protests in hopes of saving their jobs. However, the new owners decided to close the restaurant rather than meet the demands of the workers.
On Sunday, 25 workers stayed late after the last customer left, which reportedly upset the ownership. The union president was briefly handcuffed and detained for trespassing during a contract negotiation that never came to fruition.
Employees feel abandoned by the closure, saying they were not even thanked or compensated fairly. “They just dropped our envelopes with the last paycheck,” said one employee, Maricela Granados. The workers’ union president, Kurt Petersen, described the situation as “shameful” and vowed to continue fighting for the restaurant’s reopening with its original staff.
The community has shown overwhelming support for the workers, but the closure leaves a bitter taste in their mouths. As one employee put it, “It is shameful… magic happens here, and it’s only because of those workers.”
Source: https://abc7.com/post/original-pantry-cafe-iconic-los-angeles-diner-closes-doors-good/15971347