It didn't take long for the founders of Hardee's to turn a smallrestaurant into one of the largest fast food chains. Now it appears thebusiness that jump started the Rocky Mount economy in the 60's to face biglayoffs.
A Security Exchange Commission document says CKE will replace manymanagement jobs with its own people when it buys Hardee's in July. Thatcould mean hundreds of corporate layoffs.
The Rocky Mount Chamber of Commerce hopes to convince CKE to spare some ofthe local talent a trip to the unemployment line. Chamber President JimFairchild believes Hardee's is full of valuable resources that shouldn'tgo unnoticed.
The news is catching many residents off guard. They expected lay-offs butnot this soon. Derrick Spruill is one of the people who is shocked.Spruill says there are many people who work at Hardee's, and right now hedoesn't see too many other local places for those people who are laid offto go for another job.
Economists say it will take time, but they expect Rocky Mount's growth tocontinue in spite of the downsizing that could become official as soon asnext month.
Local business instructor Pravin Shukla expects the city to rebound fromwhatever loss it suffers. Shukla says there's more to the area thantobacco and Hardee's. Life will go on.
A lot of people hope they don't have to go on without Hardee's or at leastCKE, the company that is buying Hardee's. The Chamber of Commerce plansto make CKE welcome, and perhaps convince the company to keep as many warmbodies employed as possible.
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