The popular Secret Garden Bar and Cafe near Denver’s Cheesman Park closed abruptly Friday.

A representative from UFCW Local 7 union issued a news release saying the move was a “retaliatory closure in response to what is clearly activity protected under Federal law,” in reference to the workers who had voted in April to unionize, but owner Joe Vostrejs of City Street Investors told The Denver Gazette the business was losing money.

“We closed the restaurant because it has been unprofitable since it opened and we could no longer sustain the losses especially going into the winter months,” Vostrejs said in a statement. “This decision has absolutely nothing to do with the unionization.”

The restaurant’s website was taken down immediately, and 22 people lost their jobs. It’s located at 1290 N. Williams Street.

City Street, which owns and operates popular Denver restaurants Cholon Downtown, Corridor 44, and several in Union Station, recently announced a deal to purchase the historic Fort restaurant in Morrison.

“This sudden shutdown not only displaces workers who were organizing to improve their workplace but also strips the local community of a beloved gathering space,” according to Local 7’s release.

A Facebook user identified as Tess Devillier said she worked there in a Friday post.

“Today on October 10th, we had union organizers outside as well as employees (not scheduled) petitioning to save secret garden. They closed us down midshift,” according to the post.

“It is particularly galling that City Street Investors, a major participant in public-private development partnerships around Denver, would direct such a blatant campaign of union busting,” Local 7 President Kim Cordova said in the release.