They came to educate customers about a local company's plan to layoff workers.
Instead, members of United Students Against Sweatshops could not find customers at New Era Cap Company's flagship store and headquarters in downtown Buffalo.
A note on the door said the store is closed for inventory.
But the group held a rally and demonstration anyway, to discuss the company's plans to shutter two of its three U.S. manufacturing plants.
The future of New Era Cap Company's local manufacturing facility -- just south of Buffalo -- will not be known until the middle of February, a company spokesperson said.
The company is currently in discussions with its union to determine which of its two remaining plants -- in Derby, NY and in Demopolis, AL -- will remain open, said spokesperson Paul Gallagher.
New Era's plant in Jackson, AL will close early next year, Gallagher said.
Shaun Martinez with USAS said he would meet with company officials and ask that they reconsider closing any additional U.S. plants.
"We are skeptical of New Era's economic reasons for the closure," Martinez said.
New Era has just completed negotiations with one of its unions on a severance package for workers in Jackson, AL and will do the same with another union when a decision is made on which of the remaining plants will close.
Twitter
Facebook