Parkhurst to shut down operations at Bridgewater College, laying off 65

Pennsylvania-based food and beverage service provider Parkhurst Dining will soon permanently shut down its operations at Bridgewater College, laying off 65 employees.

Parkhurst notified the state of the layoffs in a Monday letter filed under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. The letter said the company will cease all operations on July 1 at the college campus, located at 402 E. College St. The closure is due to its lack of a contract with Bridgewater for the 2026-2027 academic year, according to the company.

Parkhurst said it will permanently lay off all team members by July 1 and that all employees have been notified.

Positions impacted included cooks, baristas, cashiers, line servers, supervisors, and dishwashers, among others.

Bridgewater spokesperson Heather Cole said that Parkhurst provided food at the school’s central cafeteria and a coffee shop in its Learning Commons hub, and often catered for campus events. She was unable to disclose why the college did not renew the contract with Parkhurst for the upcoming school year.

She said the college is in negotiations with a vendor, but could not share any further details at this time.

Parkhurst did not immediately return a request for comment.

Headquartered in Homestead, Pennsylvania, Parkhurst has clients across 11 states and more than 70 locations. It primarily provides higher education dining, corporate dining and catering services.

Founded in 1880 and located in the town of Bridgewater in Rockingham County, Bridgewater College is a private, four-year liberal arts institution with 1,450 students. It offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and minors, as well as four graduate programs.