Perkins restaurant on US 41 is closing down next Sunday.
Employees got the word at an emergency meeting called by the owners, Frank and Linda Stabile, over the weekend. They were informed the restaurant was shutting down for economic reasons.
They were told that some of the nearly 50 employees at Perkins might be placed at some of the Stabiles’ other commercial properties, but most will lose their jobs.
The shutdown surprisingly comes in spring when tourist traffic in Marquette and the Township starts to pick up. Perkins opened in 2007 after the Stabiles converted it from the Timber Creek Steakhouse. Perkins was considered more kid-friendly, featuring big breakfasts and fresh baked products.
However, restaurant competition in Marquette has been fierce. The community actually has more restaurants per capita than most cities in Michigan. The shutdown, according to two employees, does not affect the Stabiles’ neighboring restaurant, Hudsons.
A phone message left for the Stabiles has not been answered yet.