The combination of financial pressure from the pandemic, escalating operational costs, and a delayed restructuring ultimately forced owner Lauren Pears to make the incredibly hard decision to close the cafe.
Cici's has transformed itself post-bankruptcy by refocusing on quality and gaming options, successfully attracting customers through efficient technology and elevating the dining experience.
At that time we weren't fully thinking of ourselves as a union ... we didn't need an election to tell us that's what we were. But 2023 is when we had our union certification election and then we began bargaining the next month in May.