NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio -- Several workers held a protest Tuesday night outside the North Olmsted Ponderosa after it suddenly closed.

The Ponderosa restaurant shut down last week, after nearly a dozen other locations closed earlier this month. Dozens of North Olmsted employees were left without jobs and paychecks.

Fred Boukzam said the financial troubles surrounding his 17 Ponderosa franchises started months ago. He said there are six Ponderosas still left open out of 11.

"I gave up all my life insurance money --$125,000. I put it in the company. I mortgaged my house. I put three mortgages on my house to put in the company. I used up all my credit cards. I gave all that up to the banks," said Boukzam.

Boukzam said he tried to sell some of the restaurants, but the deals fell through last week and he had to close several locations, including North Olmsted and Elyria.

The workers held a protest demanding answers and their last paychecks from Boukzam.

"I have five children and my husband doesn't have a job. We live on that paycheck, and now nothing," said former employee Chand Heer.

"It makes me upset because I have a 5-month-old son and now I don't have a job," said former employee Arrianne Songer.

"I had to ask people for money so I could pay my cell phone today," said former employee Peter Weber.

Boukzam said he's holding out hope someone will come forward to buy the restaurants so he can pay the employees.