SYLVANIA TOWNSHIP, Ohio — If you go to the 6900 block of West Central Avenue in Sylvania Township, you'll see a red abandoned building. No signs, no one around and the inside is gutted.
"They just basically closed the doors and didn't call anybody," Scott Strawn said.
It was a Denny's where Scott and Angie Strawn's nephew, Ben Strawn, worked for three years. That was until October when the family read the news on Facebook.
"One of the girls that worked there said, 'Oh my god, I just showed up at work and the doors are chained shut,'" Angie said. "That's how we found out so we drove over there to confirm and went 'Oh my god, it is.'"
No word to Ben on when or why his work closed and no word on when he would get his paycheck.
"He would have been given his check that Friday. He worked on Sunday so that Friday he would have been given the paycheck for the two weeks prior," Angie said. "We know the owner and thought, 'OK, it's probably going to show up in the mail.' Nothing."
Almost two months later, still nothing.
"We know several people that are still waiting on checks besides Benjamin," Scott said.
Angie said Ben was only part-time and is missing about $400. She said she feels bad for those who were full-time.
So what happened? Turns out the owner Denn-Ohio LLC filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 31.
"There was no notice, there was nothing, no one had any idea this was going to happen," Angie said.
11 Investigates did visit the building and found a note on the door, but it wasn't in relation to the restaurant.
Our team also reached out to a law firm in Michigan that represents the owner of that Denny's franchise. They told 11 Investigates that paychecks were handed out on the last day of business or mailed to employees who weren't working and maybe checks got lost in the mail.
The Strawns said that never happened.
However, the law firm did tell us over the phone that if we gave them Strawn's info, they would get him his money.
Scott said he and Angie both worked at this Denny's before and it was a great job for him, so to see this happen is disappointing.
"I really trusted those guys and I want them to make it right," Scott said.
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