8/21/2008

Jermaine Dupri Closes Cafe Dupri Unexpectedly

So So Def CEO and Hip-Hop mogul Jermaine Dupri closed the doors to his restaurant, Café Dupri, an eatery that he recently opened in the Buckhead section of Atlanta.

The popular eatery, which offered ahealth conscious menu, closed due to the ever ailing U.S economy, Dupri stated. He also says that because of the economy the business venture waas prevented from taking off the ground.

“The economy has changed dramatically and people just aren’t eating out as much anymore,” Dupri told AllHipHop.com. “People are cutting back everywhere and a lot of companies, including Café Dupri, are feeling the affect. For the past two months business at the Café has been down and if the business isn’t making money, I feel its a smart move to shut it down. Bottom line: if it doesn't make money, it doesn't make sense.”

Employees of the café recently spoke to Atlanta's WSB-TV about the closing as well, airing their frustrations with Dupri due to allegations of nonpayment for the work. Workers came to work expecting what??? To work! But what they got was an unexpected sign on the door saying: "thanks for patronizing Café Dupri. We have closed indefinitely."

JD's mother, Tina Mauldin was the the one who ran the day to day operations of the cafe, according to the employees, and she not once told them what what going to happen. But what she did do was issue notices several times to employees stating that payroll funds were not available. How do you have a son who is supposedly a self-made millionaire and you can't pay employees at a cafe? So are the folks at So So Def being paid?

A notice dated Aug. 11 instructed the workers to go to "a Sun Trust bank and cash your check. The cash flow will not be in the bank until Tuesday after 12. Sorry for the inconvenience." Workers told WSB-TV that paychecks from Café Dupri have bounced for weeks and have been refused at local check cashing businesses.

Of course I understand not keeping the business open if it's not really making any money. But bouncing employee paychecks and just down right now paying them??? No way. That's not cool at all. According to JD's mom, when asked about the dilemma, she stated that all the workers had been paid and that it was a business decision to shut down Café Dupri.

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