BROKEN BOW – Broken Bow will soon be without a McDonald’s after employees were informed Tuesday that the store will permanently close next week.
Owner Greg Hall tells KBEAR that Oct. 31 will be the last business day for the restaurant.
Hall said the decision came after 18 months of discussion between his family and McDonald’s corporate representatives. He said informing the staff was one of the hardest things he’s ever had to do.
Hall and his brother bought the Broken Bow location in 2017. They inherited a 20-year lease from the previous owner. That lease expires after next year, leading to a re-evaluation of whether to sign another 20-year lease. Hall said a number of metrics are considered such as sales trends, profitability and population and employment trends of the city, among others. He said the numbers weren’t favorable.
Hall added that shorter-term options to keep the location open were considered, but McDonald’s was not receptive.
Hall said McDonald’s gave him until the end of the year to close and while Oct. 31 is short notice, he felt it was better than putting employees out of work around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
About 35 people are currently employed by the Broken Bow McDonald’s. Hall said they have been offered jobs at any other location his family owns, but with the nearest one in Kearney he understands it wouldn’t be feasible for most.
Employees who stay until the end will be given severance pay and insurance benefits will continue through November. Hall has also agreed to temporarily help cover costs for employees to commute to the Kearney location until they can find new jobs.
