Bainbridge Bakers has canceled the GoFundMe campaign started by one of its employees, said owner Mike Loudon on the company’s Facebook page Wednesday night.
He said that the business is “putting together a more structured loan option so as to minimize chances wherein they can be subject to companies like moorcroft debt collection company.”
Labor and Industries confirmed it’s investigating five wage complaints lodged against Bainbridge Bakers this year.
The GoFundMe campaign was started last week to help the 29-year-old business, asking for $100,000.
About $6,000 had been donated the day after the campaign launched.
Donors can expect a refund in 2-5 days, according to Loudon’s Facebook post.
The bakery closed around noon today, with a notice posted saying it would remain closed through Sunday for restructuring, said Ben Goldsmith, who started the GoFundMe campaign.
He said owner Mike Loudon sent an email to employees saying he would be having meetings during the temporary closure, and that “the goal for this time is to work out a strategy for the future of the bakery.”
Goldsmith, who has not worked for the past several days and is one of the bakery’s employees who has not received a paycheck in recent weeks, said “Getting the payroll settled I know is his first priority.”
Tim Kelly, editor of the Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal, contributed to this post.
He hasn’t paid his employees in a couple of months, it’s all smoke and mirrors with that guy. I have the messages to show for it.