Hostess/Wonder Bread Whiting outlet closing

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BY ANDREA HOLECEK
holecek@nwitimes.com
219.933.3316 | Wednesday, January 16, 2008 | (5 comment(s))

WHITING | Much to the dismay of customers and employees, Interstate Bakeries Corp. is closing its Hostess/Wonder Bread outlet today as part of a bankruptcy reorganization plan.

"It's a shame they shut down all the small stores where people can shop in their own community," customer Bonnie Loehrke, of Chicago's East Side, said Tuesday morning. "I bring a friend here every few months. There's no where she can get the prices they had here."

Interstate Bakeries Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2004 and currently is operating under Debtor in Possession status. The company, which lost $39 million in the most recent quarter, has announced it will consolidate depots, routes and outlets as part of its reorganization plan.

The local outlet's four employees are being laid off, although three of them who are nonmanagement workers are members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 134 and could be sent to another location if there are openings and they have the required seniority.

Employee Karen Edge has bumping rights to another Hostess/Wonder Bread outlet, but isn't sure she will take it. The store's closing is devastating to her, as well as coworkers and to the community, Edge said.

"As long as we aren’t losing (money), this store needs to stay here," she said. "The community needs us more than ever right now. To you, $20 may not seem like much, but if that’s all you have it’s a lot. My concern has been for Whiting's many customers who don't drive. They can walk here and we're less expensive for those having a hard time financially."

No one from the company returned calls for comment Tuesday.

Employees said the company notified them Jan. 8 that the store would be closing, claiming it was due to a rent increase. Since then, Whiting Director of Community Development Brian Lowry has been working to keep the store open. He said a meeting he had arranged with the company's regional officialsTuesday was canceled without explanation.

"They never showed up," said Lowry, who plans to continue working to keep the store in Whiting. "It's an important store in the community. The city wants to do everything it can to make it a success."

Also in an effort to keep the store in operation, employees have urged customers to call the Interstate Bakeries' Customer Comment line to ask the store be kept open. An employee answering calls to the comment line Tuesday said the company has closed a number of outlets in the past six months so it could emerge from bankruptcy.

The company is getting "numerous" calls about the Whiting store, he said. But he placed the chances of Interstate Bakeries reversing its decision as "slim."

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Eileen wrote on Jan 26, 2009 9:04 PM:

" I manage a Sara Lee Outlet Store, and that's not the way we'd be treated, if they were gonna shut us down. I feel for you people, and hope you can find employment in another facility. Be thinking of you. "

Randy Batassa wrote on Jan 23, 2008 1:26 PM:

" For the last week, we were trying to buy bread from our local Hostess/Wonder outlet store in Kenosha, WI, and the clerks told us the trucks were due in the next day. Then on Sunday, Jan 20th, the clerks told us that management had been contacted to find out when they were getting their next shipment. Finally on Tuesday, the lights were dim, and on Wednesday, a sign was posted stating the store had closed. This is a sad way to do business, especially if the clerks were snowballed all along. "

Breadguy wrote on Jan 19, 2008 3:13 PM:

" Unfortunately there is no plan just people covering there tails,add a shortage of delivery drivers.Many thriftstores have been closed area wide.As far as the meeting these have to be the most arrogant people ive ever worked for.Good luck to all, our stock is worth one penny{im not kidding!!!! They dont know there doing besides running this fine company in the ground, "

Move South Quick wrote on Jan 16, 2008 3:44 PM:

" What does it say about Whiting when "an important store in the community" (as quoted by the City Development Director)is a THRIFT store? Embarrassing! Keep reaching for the stars City of Whiting... those few that are educated notice! "

ibcvictim wrote on Jan 16, 2008 3:02 PM:

" Good luck to those of you losing our jobs and to those who will nowhave to find thier way to some mega super store for the needs.How unfortunate IBC hasn't the vision to see they are hurting those who made it the leader in the bread/snake cake industry.I'm going to go out a limb here and say there is a walmart greeters smock in the future for all of us! "

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