A Rant From a Recently Fired Cap City Brewing Employee

Last night, a disgruntled former employee of the Capitol City Brewing Company — which also owns 901 Restaurant and other properties — sent pretty much everyone in the DC media an epic and un-spellchecked 899-word rant about layoffs that the writer says took place on Monday. Among the many claims therein, the letter makes reference to the company as "a prime example of Local Corporation with greed and misspending, which leads to unemployment and destabilization of the economic recovery."

Well, well, aren't those fighting words? Eater reached out to a rep for the company, who wasn't aware of the situation and couldn't confirm the layoffs. Calls to COO/CFO Jeff Beaudoin (misspelled "Boudian" in the letter) have not yet been returned. But here now for your lunch hour reading, the letter in full:

UPDATED: A rep for the restaurant group confirms that these layoffs happened on Monday, but notes that it was just four employees — out of 1,200 — who were fired and explains it was due to the July shutter of the Capitol City Brewing Company location on Capitol Hill.

My name is Kerron Purchess and I am writing you today, because my coworkers and I were recently fired on Monday October 10, 2011 by Capital City Brewing Company and not based on performance. The groups Parent company Urban Adventure Companies who also owns 3 Bang Salon, 5 Vida Fitness, Aura Spa, 901 Restaurant and recently opened Penthouse Roof Top pool & bar at the 1612 Vida location in addition to the Capitol City Brewing Company's. This email is more to let you know that there is a local business group the takes people for granted.

We were told that there was a company wide managers meeting, upon arrival I was greeted by the general manager of 901 and told I was to head to the third floor because we would be meeting in smaller groups. The VP of the company Jeff Boudian the former CFO saunter in and said he would just get right to the point that every one in the my group was getting let go, with the only explanation is the company isn't making any money and etc.

As I listened for to his very brash communication I pondered to myself this can't be real and how is this possible a week a ago the company sent a couple brewers, Tony Harahan the general manager from the Cap City location downtown and a bartender to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver Colorado for a beer filled weekend. Not so far back on the 17th of September, hosted the grand opening party for the Vida location at 16th & U street with 3000+ RSVP, the 5 hour party included multi level open bars, appetizers and cirque du soleil performers hanging off the building. To top it off the Shirlington Village location threw a very successful October fest on October 8, which brought in over $100k and the Downtown location brought in the same over the busy holiday weekend, with an 30-45 minute average wait time for a table for a party of two.

This company is a prime example of Local Corporation with greed and misspending, which leads to unemployment and destabilization of the economic recovery. The financial troubles of this company didn't happen over night. They waited till after there big weekend to release us with our last week of pay and vacation time owed no third quarter bonus or severance package. Not even a thank you for time worked, just a promise that if we applied for unemployment it wouldn't be fought. I know that I am not the first nor will I be the last to be treated like the by an employer but when will the change come to protect the innocent.

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Capitol City Brewing Company [Photo: Donald P./Yelp]