Customers arriving at the College Station Ninfa’s location on Thursday found the location abruptly closed.

A sign taped to the interior of the popular Mexican restaurant’s door read, “With unending gratitude and heavy hearts we are closing our business effective today. To all of our loyal customers and the Bryan College Station community, we say our final GRACIAS!! –Ninfa’s Management.”

A notification sent to staff said Thursday morning said employees will be allowed to pick up final checks at the restaurant next Friday, March 15.

Former Employee Marina Hernandez says the staff found out early this morning from a memo on their schedule.

“Someone checked it and saw that there was a memo on it from them saying we were permanently closed," says Hernandez.

According to Ninfa's staff, the restaurant hired new employees as recently as two days ago, and that the closing was a shock to them.

Alyssa Thurmon worked as a host last night, and said nothing seemed unusual.

"it was a regular night, nobody said anything. I feel like the managers should've been able to tell us," says Thurman.

The City of College Station said they had no knowledge the closure was coming.

Gift cards will still be accepted at the Ninfa's location in Waco, according to the company.

The restaurant's original Harvey Road location was among the first fast-causal Tex-Mex chains in the Bryan-College Station community. Ninfa's had been at its current 7,400 square foot location for about a decade.

Ninfa’s College Station was an offshoot of the original Ninfa’s on Navigation Boulevard in Houston, but has no current affiliation with the original chain. KBTX has reached out to the owners of the College Station location but has not heard back.

Calls to the business on Thursday went immediately to voicemail. The restaurant’s website and Facebook pages have not yet been updated.