Staff pushed to the Max
LOCALS rushing to get their last fix of chocolate caused the Townsville Max Brenner store to temporarily close yesterday.
Max Brenner employees had to lock out customers about 2pm.
They put a sign on the door explaining they were understaffed and had to shut up shop briefly to cope with all the customers.
People waited outside for nearly 40 minutes as staff worked to clear tables stacked with used dishes and glasses from the rush.
The Townsville store will be one of nine in Queensland to close by the end of business today after the chain went into voluntary administration last week.
Customer Claire Moffatt said she wanted to get a taste before the doors closed permanently in Townsville.
“It’s concerning the amount of businesses closing down. I feel like the town is going backwards sometimes,” she said.
“A lot of things just aren’t sustainable up here.”
Toni McGregor, another customer, shared a similar sentiment.
“I’m disappointed that we’re losing another business out of town,” she said.
“Another vacancy, a nice southern organisation comes up to Townsville and we lose it again, so it’s a bit sad.”
Ms McGregor said chocolate being a luxury, meant people who were trying to make ends meet wouldn’t have the means to shop at the store frequently.
“On a priority scale it’s not very high, is it. Unless people are true chocolate addicts, I guess,” she said.
It is understood the Townsville store employed 17 staff who will be made redundant.
In a statement, Max Brenner said administrators determined it needed to close 20 of its 37 stores across Australia.
Queensland will be the hardest hit state when it comes to store closures, with Rockhampton, Toowoomba, the Gold Coast and a number of Brisbane suburbs set to lose dessert bars.
Max Brenner will continue to operate 17 chocolate bars across Australia.