There's now a large vacancy at the River Park shopping center in Fresno with World Sports Café shutting down its business. The bar and grill has been a fixture since 1998.
Customers were in disbelief Monday night to see movers stacking chairs into the bed of a pickup and out of business signs posted on the front doors.
"I can't imagine river park without World Sports café, it's one of the first places I think about," said Irene Ramirez, a customer.
"Whenever you come in there's always 20 people waiting in the lobby. It's packed with a house of people cheering games on," said Adrian weddington, a customer.
Former Director of Operations, Matt Johnson, says owner and former NFL player Tim McDonald fulfilled the terms of his lease and decided not to a renew a 4-year contract extension.
McDonald's job as an assistant coach with the New York Jets has prevented him from being part of the restaurant's daily operation.
"If there was a professional football team in the backyard of the Central Valley it would probably make things a lot different and easier for Tim, but I know the distance away was just very hard on Tim McDonald," said Matt Johnson, former director of operations.
The move puts approximately 100 people out of work.
However, there is some potentially good news for those folks. JEM Restaurant Management Corporation, which runs 30 Wendy's and Kentucky Fried Chicken locations in the valley, is inviting all World Sports Café employees to interview with them.
Carly Gragnani, who works at the nearby Yard House restaurant, applauds their gesture.
"You have bills, you live somewhere, you need to pay for something, so why not. Someone offering you a job you can't say no, so that's really nice of them to do that," said Carly Gragnani, a Yard House employee.
To setup a job interview, you are asked to call Human Resources Manager, Lorean Haupt at 559-650-7829. You may also fax your resume to 559-435-7914 or e-mail it to: lhaupt@jemmanagement.com