Shindigz to Pay Workers Through End of Year
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One day after it announced a temporary suspension of operations, party supply company Shindigz says its employees will receive their full pay through the end of the year via a philanthropic gift, and said it is accepting new orders that would be processed in January.
The moves follow an unexpected development on Wednesday in which workers were told that the 95-year-old business had encountered financial difficulties requiring closure. Officials cited the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a situation with a financial institution.
In a statement shared with ABC21 on Thursday afternoon, the company said it had “an early holiday gift” for team members — via Ambassador Enterprises, which offered to pay Shindigz employees for the next two weeks. Ambassador is a Fort Wayne-based private equity firm founded in 2006 by Daryle Doden.
“We are so genuinely grateful to Ambassador and the Doden family for this special gift to our team members during the holidays. This is the true spirit of the Christmas season and shows once again how special Fort Wayne is. We believe in Christmas miracles, and this gift from Ambassador to our team and the community is truly a special gift, ” said Shep and Wendy Moyle, owners of Shindigz.
Shindigz runs a plant in South Whitley with roughly 80 employees. Town council member Brock Waterson is grateful for the company’s contributions to the town over many decades. But Waterson is realistic that Shindigz is in a battle to survive.
“When one door closes another one opens. So looking forward to any new business that’s interested in moving in,” Waterson said.
Economic development leaders in Whitley County have met this week with representatives of several other manufacturing firms in South Whitley, all of them in hiring mode.
“We’re not trying to take employees from Shindigz, you know, in a difficult time, but around Christmas time it’s nice that there could be an option for them,” said Dale Buuck, president of the Whitley County Economic Development Corporation.
But Shindigz is showing no inclination to throw in the towel, saying Thursday that orders for January shipment will be accepted and that the company is working through its financial issues. Shindigz maintains a headquarters in downtown Fort Wayne in addition to the production facilities in Whitley County.