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May 18, 2009 5:37 pm US/Central
Local Businesses Feel Pinch Of GM Plant Shut Down
By Bud Gillett With Contributions From Anna Gonzalez
ARLINGTON (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Monday was the first day without work for the employees at the General Motors assembly plant in Arlington. The plant is on an extended vacation while the troubled carmaker tries to reduce inventory.
Some local businesses that depend on GM employees as customers are feeling the economic pinch from the downtime too.
Damian Placide opened Damian's Cajun Soul Cafe last August after working in the GM cafeteria for seven years. He found he had a built-in clientele up to now.
"Thirty to forty percent of our sales come from the General Motors plant," he said. "We're really feeling the effect of it now."
David Choi, franchise owner of Williams Chicken, is having a similar experience across the freeway. His first day without automakers was unusually quiet.
"The GM company break time is 10:30 to 1 p.m. (There's) a lot of business. Now there's nothing," he said.
Choi said he could see the strain on GM employees in recent weeks. A few even asked him for part-time work.
With a couple years under their belt, both restaurant owners think they can weather the crisis.
General Motors is set to reopen the Arlington plant in mid July.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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