Michael Sandvig was one of the first employees hired at the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery in The Pruneyard nearly three decades ago. As a bartender, he’s seen the Campbell staple change and grow into a beloved watering hole — some of his favorite memories include firefighters dropped into dunk tanks at fundraisers for the San Jose Fire Fighters Burn Foundation.
Now, he and about 45 other employees no longer have a job after the restaurant’s parent company unexpectedly closed its doors Wednesday.
Sandvig said Kelly Companies, which owns the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery chain, told the restaurant’s staff about the closure around 8 a.m. the same day it shut the doors. There were warning signs when corporate stopped ordering food and paying vendors a week before. Workers received no advance notice.
Sandvig said corporate’s actions were insensitive and unfair toward so many longtime employees, adding he’s concerned about finding a new gig, especially after he just bought a new car…