Seattle waffle shop owner closes business amid $20 minimum wage: ‘I cried every day’
McDonald’s owner Scott Rodrick says his business has experienced ‘cost pressure’ since California’s minimum wage hike targeted fast food franchises by ‘Maria Bartiromo’s Wall Street.’
The Bebop Waffle Shop closed its doors until Monday after a new minimum wage increase made operating costs unsustainable.
Corina Luckenbach, the owner of a West Seattle waffle shop, lamented that she had no choice but to close her business when the city’s new minimum wage law went into effect on Jan. 1, which increases the hourly wage to $20.76.
“This was my dream. Having my own cafe, running it the way I want, and really, loving, serving people,” Luckenbach told Fox 13, later noting that he “cried every day,” about it. its imminent closure due to many factors.
Luckenbach, who founded Bebop Waffle Shop more than 10 years ago after moving to New York, explained that his business was already struggling with inflation and low traffic due to the growing popularity of working from home.
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Waffle shop owner Corina Luckenbach lamented the closure of her business due to rising labor costs. (FOX 13 YouTube Channel)
“This financially doesn’t make sense anymore. Because, just for me, the increase is going to cost me $32,000 more a year,” he told Fox 13.
According to the New York Post, “The new law of $20.76 an hour — which is $4 more than Washington State’s minimum wage requirement — applies to businesses large and small. It also eliminates tip or benefit credits.”
Many local businesses that once served as community gathering places have been forced to close amid the COVID-19 pandemic and recession, and the Bebop Waffle Shop, named after the owner’s dog, is no exception.
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Bebop Waffle Shop owner Corina Luckenbach cited rising wages and reduced foot traffic for her business’ closure. (Fox 13 YouTube Channel)
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Luckenbach told the media that the “hardest thing” about closing a business is that it ultimately “takes away a safe place for people.”
“Stories like what it meant to people to come in and feel safe and feel welcome – I just didn’t know,” she said through tears.
As the year 2025 begins, nearly half of US states saw minimum wage increases, meaning an increase in wages for about 9.2 million workers, according to the latest data.
Cane CEO AJ Kumaran discusses how California’s minimum wage increase has impacted his company on ‘The Claman Countdown.’
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An analysis by the Economic Policy Institute says 21 states would have raised their minimum wages at the start of the year, with 48 cities and counties raising their wages above the state minimum — mostly in California, Colorado and Washington.
Fox Business’ Breck Dumas contributed to this report.
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