Honey's closes abruptly lays off staff
Claire Smyth
Claire Smyth  former executive pastry chef at Honeyâs   said Honeyâs staff members were called into a meeting Jan. 9 and told by Furman that they âcould just no longer do it anymoreâ and that  as of that day  Honeyâs was done for business.
âI mean  itâs a little bit of a shock â  Smyth  said. âItâs really  really hard to let go of 30 people in January after Christmas  but I mean  itâs the industry.â
All staff members were given their final checks and sent home that day   she  said.  Smyth  remembers feeling fortunate because  she âd driven  her  own car that day  so  she  could take  her  things home.
âIt was very  very abrupt â  she  said.
 Smyth  had only been at Honeyâs for about a month  about the same time as executive chef Johnny Anderes. Anderes  formerly of Avec  Reno  Telegraph Wine Bar and The Kitchen  was brought on in December after chef Charles Welch and pastry chef Alison Cates left.
But  Smyth  said she wonders if predictions about the imminent restaurant crash in Chicago are true  citing the recently closed GreenRiver restaurant in Streeterville.
âI think there are too many restaurants in Chicago  and itâs hard to stay open when everyone is doing the same thing in the same area â  Smyth  said.
 Smyth  said she plans to take some time to herself before looking for a new job.
[TGT] said Honeyâs staff members were called into a meeting Jan. 9 and told by Furman that they âcould just no longer do it anymoreâ and that  as of that day  Honeyâs was done for business.
âI mean  itâs a little bit of a shock â   [TGT] said. âItâs really  really hard to let go of 30 people in January after Christmas  but I mean  itâs the industry.â
All staff members were given their final checks and sent home that day   she  said.   [TGT] remembers feeling fortunate because   [TGT]  âd driven   [TGT]   own car that day  so   [TGT]   could take   [TGT]   things home.
âIt was very  very abrupt â   [TGT]   said.
  [TGT] had only been at Honeyâs for about a month  about the same time as executive chef Johnny Anderes. Anderes  formerly of Avec  Reno  Telegraph Wine Bar and The Kitchen  was brought on in December after chef Charles Welch and pastry chef Alison Cates left.
But   [TGT] said  [TGT]  wonders if predictions about the imminent restaurant crash in Chicago are true  citing the recently closed GreenRiver restaurant in Streeterville.
âI think there are too many restaurants in Chicago  and itâs hard to stay open when everyone is doing the same thing in the same area â   [TGT] said.
  [TGT] said  [TGT]  plans to take some time to  [TGT]  before looking for a new job.