LEWISTON — Questions remained Thursday about the abrupt closing of at least eight Tim Hortons restaurants in Maine this week
The Maine Department of Labor announced it will host a Rapid Response session at the Lewiston CareerCenter to see whether help is available for workers displaced from those Tim Hortons and from two Pizza Huts that closed in Auburn.
Tim Hortons in Lewiston, Auburn, Norway, Topsham, South Portland and Augusta all shuttered this week, according to media outlets.
The company declined to say how many restaurants were closed in Maine.
Spokeswoman Jodi Bond wrote in a prepared statement: “In line with our vision to deliver a great guest experience while building and strengthening the Tim Hortons brand, we continuously review the performance of our restaurants. As we build the foundation for accelerated growth in the U.S., we have decided to close some restaurants in Maine. We are supporting our restaurant owners in their transition and remain excited about the opportunities to expand the iconic Tim Hortons brand in the U.S.”
The company in 2013 closed six restaurants in Maine, including the Lisbon Street location in Lewiston.
Pizza Huts also closed recently on Minot Avenue and Center Street in Auburn. That company didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment on Thursday.
Pizza Hut remained open in Oxford and Lewiston.
The Department of Labor’s session for the laid-off workers is scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the Lewiston CareerCenter. Workers may be eligible for unemployment and other state services.
Labor Department spokesman Tim Sardano said the state was only aware, officially, of closures at two Tim Hortons in South Portland, one in Augusta, two in Auburn and one in Lewiston, along with the two Pizza Hut closures in Auburn.
“At this stage, we don’t have a count of impacted employees from these locations,” he said.
kskelton@sunjournal.com
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