The founder and CEO of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill who once appeared on “Undercover Boss” killed himself inside his Bronx factory Saturday, police sources said.
Lowell Hawthorne, 57, shot himself inside the Park Ave. building near E. 173rd St. in Claremont about 5:30 p.m., sources said.
More than a dozen current and former employees stood in disbelief outside the factory hours later. Some had tears rolling down their cheeks.
“He was a good boss, humble and a good businessman,” said Pete Tee, 27, a former employee. “He never seemed sad. This is just terrible news right now.”
CARIBBEAT: Golden Krust president is going ‘Undercover’
Hawthorne’s friends, family and colleagues mourn for him.
Hawthorne’s friends, family and colleagues mourn for him. (ANGUS MORDANT FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
Hawthorne opened the first Golden Krust store on E. Gun Hill Rd. in 1989.
The Jamaica-born owner went on to build the beef-patty purveyor into a national empire with more than 120 restaurants in nine states.
In May of last year, Hawthorne starred in an episode of CBS’ “Undercover Boss,” and discovered some of his chefs “aren’t on the same cookbook page,” according to the CBS website.
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My condolences to the friends, family and employees of Jamaica-born Lowell Hawthorne, CEO of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery & Grill.
He headed the largest Caribbean franchise chain in the US, with more than 120 stores.
8:10 PM – Dec 2, 2017
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Pat Russo, who has worked with Hawthorne since the 1990s, was confounded by the news that his fellow businessman had taken his own life.
Memoir tells rags-to-riches story of Caribbean grill
“It doesn’t make any sense. He had everything to live for,” said Russo, who is the president of Chef’s Choice food company. “He was a brilliant business guy. The perfect American success story.”
Hawthorne’s death sent shockwaves from the streets of the Bronx to government offices in Jamaica, where Prime Minister Andrew Holness fired off a tweet offering his condolences.
Some of Hawthorne’s employees said they suspected something was amiss when they spotted his silver Tesla 85D parked oddly outside the factory. It was left straddling two lanes.
Some of Hawthorne’s employees said they suspected something was amiss when they spotted his silver Tesla 85D parked oddly outside the factory. It was left straddling two lanes. (ANGUS MORDANT FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
Some of Hawthorne’s employees said they suspected something was amiss when they spotted his car, a silver Tesla 85D (below), parked oddly outside the factory. The luxury ride was left in the road blocking a lane of traffic.
Longtime employee Everald Woods said he loved working under Hawthorne.
“He was a nice boss, a wonderful guy,” said Woods, an employee since 2003. “He’s the kind of guy you want to work for for that long. He takes care of his employees.”
Workers stand outside the Golden Krust’s factory on Park Ave. after Hawthorne committed suicide inside.
Workers stand outside the Golden Krust’s factory on Park Ave. after Hawthorne committed suicide inside. (ANGUS MORDANT FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
Family friend Wayne Muschamb said Hawthorne was an inspiration to his countrymen in Jamaica. “Look how far he reached. He’s known from here to Jamaica,” Muschamb said. “I’m kind of lost for words, man. This has got me shocked.”
Hawthorne’s rags-to-riches story was set in motion in 1981 when he followed several relatives to the U.S. from Jamaica in search of opportunity.
He briefly worked as an accountant for the NYPD before deciding to build a business inspired by his father’s bakery back home.
Golden Krust became the first Caribbean-owned business in the U.S. to be granted a franchise license, according to its website. The company produces more than 50 million patties a year that are sold in retail stores.
In 2012, he published a memoir, “The Baker’s Son.”
“It’s a very humbling experience to know that the concept that began in Jamaica with our parents was able to come here,” Hawthorne told the Daily News at the time.
Bwoy Met, yuh really think its suicide? How could he pull the trigger a 2nd time.
It can happen marie, rarely does but it can
So im realizing. I so was hoping it was anything except this. I say it all the time, depression is SERIOUS business and not something to ignore. You put a smile on for the world, meanwhile, you’re grappling with suicidal ideation. Bwoy it rough. It pains me to hear people speak about who God will and will not forgive without truly understanding the dynamics of depression and mental illness.
Good day all,
Yes it’s possible,for one THERE are certain types of firearms that will double fire from a single trigger pull.There is Even a recent case of a guy who shot himself 4 times.
Secondly courtesy of Wikipedia…Multiple gunshot suicide occurs when a person commits suicide by inflicting multiple gunshots on themselves before becoming incapacitated. It excludes suicides where the firearms are operated by other people, such as suicide by cop.
Multiple gunshot suicides are rare, but possible. In one study of 138 gunshot suicides, 5 (3.6%) involved two shots to the head, the first of which missed the brain.[1] A suicide with 4 gunshots to the head has been reported.
Finally, some clarification!
Hmmmmm there’s more to this story
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/golden-krust-ceo-sued-stiffing-workers-suicide-article-1.3675175
https://nypost.com/2017/12/03/golden-krust-ceo-killed-himself-over-tax-debt-fears-of-probe/
Where uno get that info about two times? He’s on camera I said it yesterday most likely pending investigation. IRS will cause stress
“SLEEP IN PEACE” MR GOLDEN KRUST…. I PERSONALLY DO NOT BELIEVE IT WAS SUICIDE, IT JUST SMELL FISHY….
Why are people spreading this tale that Mr. Hawthorne shot himself twice in the head? I have not seen any credible evidence that this was the case, yet this theory that he shot himself twice has taken on a life of its own.
The other thing is why do people think just because he was a successful businessman and appear “happy”, he was not capable of taking his life. When I was growing up in Jamaica, there was a Bank manager of Scotiabank who received a diagnosis that he had terminal cancer and beyond any form of treatment. Weeks later, he killed himself, his wife and two young daughters (ages less than 10 years old). Mr. Hawthorne was a human being and we do not know what demons lies within.
Golden Krust CEO killed himself over tax debt, fears of probe
By Shawn Cohen, Tina Moore and Bruce Golding December 3, 2017 | 8:34pm | Updated December 3, 2017 | 10:21pm
The founder of the Golden Krust Jamaican beef patty empire killed himself amid fears the feds were investigating him for evading millions of dollars in taxes, The Post has learned.
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‘Golden Krust’ CEO kills himself in Bronx factory
‘Golden Krust’ CEO kills himself in Bronx factory
A family member told detectives that Lowell Hawthorne, 57, admitted the huge tax debt to some of his relatives, and was “acting funny” and “talking to himself” in the hours before his suicide, a law-enforcement source said Sunday.
Surveillance video shows the meat-pie mogul shooting himself in the head at his office inside the Golden Krust bakery and warehouse in The Bronx, said the source, who was briefed on the NYPD investigation into the shooting.
Before the shooting, the video shows Hawthorne speaking with a pair of workers who left the room, both of whom were crouched down when they later returned to his office, sources said.
It was unclear if they saw Hawthorne kill himself but one of them could be seen making a cell phone call, which a source said was to 911.
Hawthorne employed dozens of relatives at the business he started in 1989, and the source said he left a note in which he apologized to his family.
Hawthorne’s younger brother, Milton Hawthorne, 55, met cops who arrived at the Golden Krust plant at 3958 Park Ave. around 5:15 p.m. Saturday in response to a 911 call about an emotionally disturbed person armed with a gun, sources said.
Lowell, a married father of three sons and a daughter, was found on the floor of his office with a single bullet wound to his head and a handgun lying nearby, sources said.
The Jamaican immigrant started Golden Krust with a single fast-food eatery on East Gun Hill Road in The Bronx and opened 16 more across the city before launching a franchise operation in 1996.
The company now has more than 120 outlets in nine states, and sells its beef patties in more than 20,000 supermarkets, as well as to the city school system, state penal system and US military, according to a news release issued last year.
In August, Hawthorne was slapped with a proposed class-action suit alleging he cheated as many as 100-plus workers at the Golden Crust plant out of overtime pay.
The suit — fairly common in the food-service industry — remains pending in Manhattan federal court.
https://nypost.com/2017/12/03/golden-krust-ceo-killed-himself-over-tax-debt-fears-of-probe/
They can lie and fool many but cannot fool all…
The real truth will be revealed…
dem need to well invesigate MILTON who happened to find him as well.
May this man rest in peace; certain things are not adding up–but who knows. From di one store up di block to over 100 stores in multiple states… What will be made of this impressive growth that I was fortunate to witness?
Most of the locations in other States (and some in New York) were Franchise locations. They were owned by individuals, not corporately owned.