ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A week after Armory STL announced that it would 'temporarily close' its doors citing to lack of funding for subsequent several phases of a project that were never completed, many now-former employees are now scrambling for work.
On Wednesday, St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) put on a emergency job fair for Armory employees that just lost their jobs at the SLATE Missouri Job Center.
Caitlin, who was a sales manager at The Armory, says she was shocked that the venue closed its doors.
"They guaranteed us it wasn't going to happen, then it did happen," Caitlin tells KMOX's Stuart McMillan.
For Caitlin, it was a full time job, working six days a week and she said she got paid pretty well.
Janet, who worked as a cashier at The Armory once a week, and works full-time at Edwards Jones, says she could tell year to year, the end was nigh.
"Normally you have your spring slump, then you have a summer slump," said Janet. "And the summer slump never went away. It was slow all summer. I made half as much as I normally do."
Marvin, who worked in food services and lost his only income, says the closure of the facility was "out of the blue" from his perspective and the search for a new job has been stressful.
"It is because I don't have no employment, rent is due, my kids got homecoming and I don't have no job." said Marvin.
Marvin says, however, he is keeping his head high and says he has a couple leads for his next job.
Caitlin tells KMOX she is unsure if The Armory will reopen, saying the only thing she has heard was what was posted online on the Armory's Facebook account last week.
"To me, they did not let us know that we were going to to be reopening, any potential or anything," said Caitlin.
