The Chyll Rolled Ice Cream and Boba store in Valencia is open and serving customers, but the Castaic location is closed, according to former employees.
Store owner Shaun Tramondo could not be reached for comment as of 1:30 p.m. Thursday, but former employees of the popular ice cream shop, which has a 4.5-star rating on Yelp and was reviewed by residents as recently as Saturday, Sept. 14, said the situation has been “chaotic.”
“I woke up on Saturday morning with a job, and Sunday morning came, and I had no job.
I still haven’t gotten any final pay, and I haven’t been contacted by either of the owners,” former Assistant Manager Allison Lederer said, mentioning the rumors surrounding the store’s closing.
Employees who were in the shop Saturday night confirmed there was a confrontation between the owners outside the store around closing time. Shortly after, employees received a text at 11:51 p.m. stating: “I am sorry to inform everyone that we are closing both Chyll stores effective today. There will be no more work for anyone sorry,” according to screenshots obtained by The Signal.
Lederer said she discovered the news of the Castaic location’s closure in a different group chat, but like her peers she still hasn’t received her final paycheck.
One employee who was left without a job when the store closed said she took out payday loans to provide for her family and now she is struggling to pay basic utility and health bills on top of the loan repayments.
“They were open that night and that entire week leading up to it and there was no talk of closing,” Lederer said. “I’m out of a job and last paycheck with no explanation… I feel like I did so much for the company to help it thrive. I really was rallying for them the whole time.”
Lederer said she’s heard the Valencia store is in the process of being sold and other store employees, who asked not to be identified, said the Castaic store is in the process of being taken over by another operator, as well.
