In North Carolina, customers still eating dinner at the Hops Grill and Brewery were suddenly asked to immediately leave the premises when the authorities came to shut down the restaurant. The Hops management then informed their patrons that the restaurant was closing permanently.

Photo credit: Hops Grill and Brewery Facebook Page.

NBC Charlotte reports that the Hops restaurant was forced to close because the management was not able to settle an agreement with the landlords regarding the future lease terms. The surprised customers as well as the employees heard the bad news in the middle of their meal, work and to-go orders.

The customers were told to pay up their bills and given a to-go box to place their food. The spokesperson from Matthews Police Department revealed to HuffPost that Hop's management contacted the police on Sunday night to assist in shutting down the restaurant and control the crowd leaving to avoid chaos.

Employees shared to the NBC Charlotte that they have been hearing rumours in the past about the restaurant closing but they never expected it would happen like it did last Sunday evening. "They let the employees know last minute, so families lost their jobs and we all used to work here. So, it's a big disappointment," former employee Lydia Helms stated.

"This is the end of an era. This place has been here. It's like a family, and it's really sad. It's really sad," another Hops employee shared. Hops officials declared that re-opening the restaurant will not likely happen in the future.

After the customers left the restaurant, the management posted a note on the front door that explained the sudden shutdown of the eating place. The message reads: "This Hops restaurant is no longer open. Our managers and staff have enjoyed serving you and we apologize for the inconvenience."

Photo credit: Twitter/@wcnc

It has not been confirmed if the employees received their last paycheck on Sunday night. Hops management did not give any more comments after explaining why the restaurant was shut down.

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