A community in Luzerne County took a blow Monday when it was announced a major employer is closing.
Monday was a sad day at the plant in Freeland. A spokesman with Garland Commercial Industries said the landmark business will close by July of next year. The 200 people who make commercial grills and stoves will be out of work.
One of them is plant manager Peter McFarland. "The business has been here for many, many years, for others much so more than me and this is a very emotional point in their life as well and many people here consider this family and so that side is very difficult for all of us," McFarland said.
The plant parking lot was almost empty Monday because officials said the first shift was sent home and the second shift told not to report to work because of the news.
Across the street is a car dealership. There is a connection with some of the workers.
"We do a lot of business with them. We so some of their service business. We have sold them some cars, occasionally, the people who work there and it's difficult to look across the street and see an empty parking lot," said Ron Feussner of Feussner Ford.
Some said Freeland borough will be hard hit too. The mayor said a third of the budget comes from taxes collected from Garland.
There are other economic effects.
"You talk to any of the restaurants, they probably love Garland at lunch time. A lot of them deliver to Garland at lunch time so this is going to be full circle," said Freeland Mayor Tim Martin.
The mayor has friends at Garland.
"The families that are affected there are the ones I feel the worst for because a lot of them have 20 to 30 years and that's all they know," Mayor Martin added.
Monday was a sad day at the plant in Freeland. A spokesman with Garland Commercial Industries said the landmark business will close by July of next year. The 200 people who make commercial grills and stoves will be out of work.
One of them is plant manager Peter McFarland. "The business has been here for many, many years, for others much so more than me and this is a very emotional point in their life as well and many people here consider this family and so that side is very difficult for all of us," McFarland said.
The plant parking lot was almost empty Monday because officials said the first shift was sent home and the second shift told not to report to work because of the news.
Across the street is a car dealership. There is a connection with some of the workers.
"We do a lot of business with them. We so some of their service business. We have sold them some cars, occasionally, the people who work there and it's difficult to look across the street and see an empty parking lot," said Ron Feussner of Feussner Ford.
Some said Freeland borough will be hard hit too. The mayor said a third of the budget comes from taxes collected from Garland.
There are other economic effects.
"You talk to any of the restaurants, they probably love Garland at lunch time. A lot of them deliver to Garland at lunch time so this is going to be full circle," said Freeland Mayor Tim Martin.
The mayor has friends at Garland.
"The families that are affected there are the ones I feel the worst for because a lot of them have 20 to 30 years and that's all they know," Mayor Martin added.
