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WEBVTT THIS IS ONE OF DOZENS OF LOCATIONS THAT ARE PERMANENTLY CLOSED. A SURPRISE FOR CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES AT NUMEROUS PAPA GINO’S LOCATIONS IN NEW ENGLAND. >> WHEN YOU CALLED THE DANVERS YESTERDAY MORNING THEY SAID THANKS FOR CALLING. WERE PERMANENTLY CLOSED. WE WERE LIKE WAIT, WHAT? NICHOLE: NICK SIMBOLI WORKED AT THE BEVERLY LOCATION FOR MORE THAN FOUR YEARS. >> MY MANAGER, MY BOSS COMES IN AND SAYS CORPORATE IS UNDERWAY. THEY’RE SHUTTING US DOWN. WE WERE LIKE WAIT, WHAT? I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED, I WAS PRETTY UPSET. NICHOLE: NEARLY 100 PAPA GINO’S AND D’ANGELOS PERMANENTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY SHUT DOWN AS OF YESTERDAY. >> WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THIS WAS COMING. NICHOLE: TODAY, WE’VE LEARNED THE PARENT COMPANY PGHC WHICH ALSO OWNS D’ANGELO’S RESTAURANTS HAS FILED FOR CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY, AND AGREED TO BE SOLD TO A PRIVATE PORTFOLIO COMPANY. PGHC RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING IN PART THE LONGTERM GOALS ARE TO REMODEL SOME LOCATIONS, OPEN NEW RESTAURANTS AND ENHANCE ONLINE ORDERING. THEY SHOULD HAVE WARNED US. >> NICHOLE: FOR EMPLOYEES AT SHUTTERED STORES THE DECISION BY PGHC MEANS MANY PEOPLE WITH JOBS ON SATURDAY, HAD NO JOB 24 HOURS LATER. >> IS ALWAYS THE HOLIDAYS AND I , FEEL BAD FOR THE FAMILIES AND THE KIDS THAT LOST THEIR JOBS AND IT’S JUST AWFUL. IT’S SUDDEN. NICHOLE: IT IS VERY SUDDEN. EMPLOYES WITHOUT JOBS ARE BEING COURAGE TO APPLY AT ANY OF THE LOCATIONS THAT REMAIN OPEN. NICK ALREADY

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Dozens of Papa Gino's and D’Angelo Sandwich shops in have been closed after the parent company of the pizza chain said Monday that it has an agreement to sell the company.Nearly 50 restaurants were closed around New England as part of the deal with Wynnchurch -- a middle-market private equity investment firm."PGHC closed approximately 95 under-performing restaurants. The company regrets having to close these restaurants but believes focusing resources on a core of best-performing restaurants is the responsible approach," the company said in a statement.The company also filed petitions for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code."This proceeding will ensure PGHC can maintain normal business operations at all of its restaurants with improved liquidity as it pursues the sale," the company said in a statement.The company, which previously boasted approximately 150 stores across New England, showed only 97 locations on its website Sunday. A sign posted on the company's Needham Street location in Newton said, "This location is now closed. Thank you for your patronage.""I showed up for my shift this morning to find that same sign on our door," Kesley Sullivan, who worked at the Mansfield location, said. "I was told to reapply to other locations."“We regret having to abruptly close the restaurants without notice but were unable to share information until the proposed sale transaction was finalized," the company said when asked about the abrupt closings. "We have encouraged our employees to apply for positions in remaining restaurants and hope to begin placing some in the coming days.”A full list of store closings was not released by the company, who suggested customers check its website "to view open locations."The company, now based in Dedham, was founded in 1961 when the chain opened its first pizzeria, called Piece O' Pizza, in East Boston. In 1968, the company changed the name to Papa Gino's and started to expand throughout Boston.