Shindigz Employees Uncertain About Future
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Employees of Shindigz in Fort Wayne are confused and looking for answers nearly one month after company leaders announced a “temporary closure.”
Many employees say they haven’t been informed about when the party supply company will reopen, or if the shutdown is permanent.
“They came into our office and said there was a meeting with the owner and that’s were he tearfully told us he was shutting down,” employee Tami Stephan said. “Initially he said it would be temporarily.”
Stephan worked at the South Whitley plant. It’s a job she loves so much. She worked at Shindigz for more than a decade. However, she says she didn’t see last month’s announcement coming. Company leaders announced on their website that they would temporarily suspend operations.
“The warehouse in South Whitley stayed open until the end of the week just trying to get out as many orders as they possibly could,” Stephan said. “I think they got a fair and good amount out.”
After production wrapped up, employees were left with questions and no answers. Stephan said she had vacation time that she planned to use, but the company ended up not paying her.
“I did feel bad for them,” Stephan said. “Could there have been some more things he should’ve or could’ve done? Possibly, but I’m not a business person so I don’t know that. But I do feel sorry for him”
Stephan says she’s trying to get back to work. She says she’s willing to go back to Shindigz, but that she can’t keep waiting.
WPTA reached out to the owner of the company, but has not yet received a response.