Chipotle’s 15 ShopHouse Kitchen locations will close by March 17, the company says, and a deal is already in place to sell the leases from all stores in Washington, D.C., Illinois, California, and Maryland to another company.
The Southeast Asian Chain, which launched in 2011, came under the microscope last October when Chipotle revealed that it would not invest further in the brand after it failed to meet expectations. ShopHouse’s 300 or so employees will be offered jobs at Chipotle and will be paid for an additional week beyond closing, reports The Chicago Tribune.
Chipotle, which is still battling back from sagging sales due to food safety scares, will continue to operate Pizzeria Locale and the burger-themed concept Tasty Made.
