I was laid off from my job at a fancy convenience store chain when it suddenly shuttered. My final shift felt like 'The Purge.'

Courtesy of Declan Rhodes

• Foxtrot, an upscale convenience-store chain, shuttered its 33 locations on April 23.
• Declan Rhodes, 25, was one of hundreds of employees laid off while on shift. 
• He said the last day was like "The Purge," as workers kicked out customers and locked up for good.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Declan Rhodes, a 25-year-old former employee of Foxtrot...