"It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you of a difficult decision we have had to make. After much consideration and evaluation, we regret to announce that Foxtrot and Dom's Kitchen & Market will be closing their doors starting on April 23, 2024," the message said.
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The closure affects two Dom's stores and 33 Foxtrots across the Chicago, Austin, Dallas and D.C. areas.
"We explored many avenues to continue the business but found no viable option despite good faith and exhaustive efforts," the message said. "This decision has not been made lightly, and we understand the impact it will have on you, our loyal customers, as well as our dedicated team members. We want to express our sincerest gratitude for your support and patronage throughout the years. It has been our highest honor to elevate the everyday and create a remarkable shopping experience for people who love food as much as we do. It has been a privilege serving you and being a part of your everyday lives. We understand that this news may come as a shock, and we apologize for any inconvenience it may cause. We genuinely appreciate your understanding during this challenging time."
Dom's website said delivery capabilities, store operations, store credits and all customer-facing operations are no longer available, effective Tuesday.
When called Tuesday, workers at the Foxtrot at 3649 N. Clark St. in Wrigleyville said they were just told they had permanently closed and were shocked.
A sign was posted on the door of Dom's Halsted Street location in Lincoln Park Tuesday, which said, "Hey neighbors, Dom's is saying goodbye & we're shutting our stores and app down. Thanks for eating & enjoying with us."
A sign was also posted on the Foxtrot on the corner of Diversey Parkway and Broadway in Lakeview that said, "Thanks a lot! As of today, we are closed for the final time. Thank you for the time we had together."
A crowd had gathered outside the Halsted Street Dom's just after noon, as customers and apparently employees heard the news.
"My friends and I were all talking about it when we heard the news this morning. We all love Foxtrot. We all love Dom's, as well," Anna Schibley said.
Alexandra Meraz said employees were also blindsided. She worked at the Foxtrot in Old Town for the past six months.
"I'm just really distraught because this was my livelihood; this was my only job," Meraz said. "It was a regular Tuesday, and now it's just you're out of a job."
Meraz said she clocked in to her shift Tuesday morning, and once managers came out of a meeting, she was told the store would be closing immediately, and that she needed to leave.
She said no reason was given, but said there was speculation of company financial troubles.
She's now scrambling to apply for unemployment.
Faithful customers are wondering what happens next.
"I'm sorry to see this happening. It's probably going to leave quite a void in storefront spaces, and I'm more concerned about the people who work here," David Anthony Powell said.
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Foxtrot and Dom's announced a merger in November and planned to operate under the name "Outfox Hospitality."
As of November, Foxtrot had 32 stores across Chicago, Washington, D.C., Dallas and Austin.
Dom's had two Chicago locations, in Lincoln Park and Old Town. Another was expected to open in River North this summer.
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The companies said their shared vision involved combining the convenience of a market with the experience of a restaurant.
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"Foxtrot was created with the vision of building a community of people who love to discover new and interesting products, either by gathering at our stores, or having them delivered from our user-friendly app - a goal we've proudly accomplished over the past 10 years," Outfox Hospitality CEO Liz Williams previously said. "We're excited for this new venture with Dom's Kitchen & Market because we share a common mission of modernizing the way people shop. Merging our two brands will elevate the experience for our customers and move the retail industry forward."
The merger was expected to be finalized by the end of 2023.