Gabe's Laying Off Dozens Of Workers In South Jersey

SOUTH JERSEY — Gabe's, a chain of discount department stores, is laying off dozens of South Jersey employees.

The business will cut 52 workers from its locations in Cherry Hill and Mount Laurel, according to a WARN notice shared by the New Jersey Department of Labor. The layoffs go into effect Aug. 12.

The fate of each location is unclear. A corporate spokesperson declined to answer Patch's questions about the layoffs, including whether any stores will close.

"At this time we are not going to comment on the closings," the spokesperson said via email.

The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers to give their workers advanced notice of planned workplace closures or mass layoffs. A state law went into effect last year that entitles impacted employees to severance pay.

Gabriel Brothers, Inc., which does business as Gabe's, posted a WARN notice this month to announce 52 layoffs impacting workers in Mount Laurel and Cherry Hill.

The state labor department maintains a public log of companies that have issued WARN notices in New Jersey. Patch asked the agency for additional information on the layoffs at Gabe's and will update with any response.

Gabe's has two other New Jersey stores — Vineland and Mays Landing. The West Virginia-headquartered business has more than 100 locations nationwide.