09/12/2026
A Message From Ownership
This is not a post I ever expected to write. As a business owner, one of the hardest parts of my job is making decisions that impact people’s lives while knowing there are always multiple perspectives and emotions involved.
Over the last several weeks, there have been difficult conversations and strong opinions shared about our restaurants and our team. However, as some of these conversations have moved beyond the workplace and into our community, we feel it is important to share who we are, what we believe in, and what standards we hold ourselves to.
We intentionally chose not to respond publicly because we believe in respecting the privacy of our employees, both current and former, and handling workplace matters responsibly and privately. At the same time, I also have a responsibility to the people who work hard every day to make our restaurants what they are.
We are a family-owned business. The people who work in our restaurants are not just employees to us. They are people we know, people we care about, and people who show up every day to serve our guests and support each other. We are proud of the team we have built and the environment we work hard to protect for our employees and guests.
One of the things we value most is that our restaurants bring together people from many different backgrounds, experiences, and walks of life. We are proud to be a place where our employees and guests feel welcome, respected, and safe.
A strong workplace does not happen by accident. It requires clear expectations, communication, and accountability from everyone.
Before making any employment decisions related to these situations, we had already invested significant time updating our employee handbook and reviewing those expectations with our team. We did this because we believe every person deserves to know what is expected of them and every person deserves to work in an environment built on respect and professionalism.
We believe in second chances where appropriate. People can learn, grow, and improve when they are willing to accept accountability and make changes. But second chances require a commitment to moving forward, accepting feedback, treating others with respect, and following the same standards expected of everyone else.
When concerns are brought to us, we take them seriously. We listen, we ask questions, we review the information available, and we make decisions based on the facts we can establish. We understand that every situation has different perspectives, and it is our responsibility to carefully review the information available and make informed decisions that impact our team.
We will not discuss private personnel matters publicly. We believe current and former employees deserve privacy, even when difficult situations arise. We also believe our employees deserve to come to work without being pulled into public conflicts or personal disputes.
What we will continue to do is protect the environment we have worked hard to build: one where people are treated with dignity, where concerns are heard, where accountability matters, and where everyone is expected to contribute to a respectful workplace.
To our current team: thank you. We know the last several weeks have been challenging, and we appreciate the professionalism, patience, and support you have shown each other.
To our guests and our community: thank you for trusting us, supporting us, and allowing us the opportunity to continue serving you. We are not perfect, and we never claim to be. We are a group of people who care deeply, who learn, who improve, and who continue showing up every day.
We are proud of what we have built and proud of the people who make it possible every day. We are committed to providing a professional and safe environment where our teammates and guests feel respected and valued.
Thank you,
Holly
Owner, South Market Group
