UPDATED: Kirkwood Bar & Grill: Closed
The eatery, reopened just a couple of months ago, is now closed again.
Photos
The opened-then-closed-then-reopened Kirkwood Bar & Grill is now closed again.
The closure of the restaurant at 1963 Hosea L. Williams Dr. NE, follows owner David Johnson's failure to bring his lease current with Southeast Holdings LLC, which filed a lawsuit against him for back rent.
In July he agreed to a series of payments on a schedule through Oct. 15 that would have brought it current, but he failed to do that leading a default judgment on Sept. 24 for the $31,000 in back rent he owed and subsequent seizure of the property.
John Turpin, an Inman Park-based developer and builder and principal of Southeast Holdings, told East Atlanta Patch the property is being marketed to potential tenants.
"We're really looking forward to finding the right fit and we are committed to Kirkwood as a neighborhood," Turpin said, adding anyone who is interested in putting together a proposal for the site may e-mail him at johnbturpin@gmail.com.
On paper, he said Johnson's prior business acumen and management experience suggested the Kirkwood Bar & Grill would be a success.
But that hasn't turned out to be the case.
On Thursday, Turpin said that chapter is over and that the focus now is finding a new tenant, one that will be in better keeping with the Kirkwood community.
"We're working hard on moving forward," he said.
Ideally, Turpin said he'd like to have the property leased by the start of 2013.
The property is fitted as a bar and any new tenant would likely operate it as such. But Turpin stressed any new tenant will be chosen with the neighborhood's needs in mind.
"We're looking to put something that's family- and community-oriented," Turpin said.
The eatery had been the source of controversy in the Kirkwood community for nearly a year.
Neither Johnson nor his attorney, Alan I. Begner, could be immediately reached for comment Wednesday or Thursday.
latonya
7:38 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Damn!
Chris H
8:47 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Well the neighborhood did not want him there so they did not go and spend their money. He relied on thugs from outside the neighborhood for buisness. Go to the Pullman across the street. Its much better anyway.
Jennifer C.
11:28 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
Chris H the owner at Kirkwood Bar n Grill never asked you to spend your money there. With your racist comments and negative attitude, he is probably happy that you never came. It is people like you that keep our communities divided over petty stuff like this. You are ok as long as YOU ALL are in control of everything, but as soon as the "thugs" come around you run, hide behind your computer, and make comments that you wouldnt dare make in the "thug's face." Last time I checked, the owner at Pullman wasnt headed for retirement either...I know I wouldnt spend my money there!
John J
12:16 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
What's racist about the word "thug"? He's calling KBG's patrons thugs because their behavior was thuggish, not because of their race. The first night KBG opened police were called in to break up a huge fight. Noise complaints were constant... That's not the kind of place people want to live near (or spend money at).
Marshall C.
2:06 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I've stay out of this long enough but I can help but reply to the way certain people in Kirkwood and treating this situation.. I agree with Jennifer C. No it's not the word thug, but how you use it.. Thug was never use when the owner was a white guy! It's only used when people of color are expressing them selfs in a manner of which white people are not use to.. Yes, he opened his doors and thing got out of hand, but bulling him to the point where he rebels was not the solution. Fast forward to now, he seem to be building his business in a positive way now. The foods not bad and the prices are very reasonable. Stop the hatred! Damn..
Derwood1962
9:20 am on Thursday, October 4, 2012
I wish he would have invested in community outreach instead of outrage. I would have loved another good neighborhood eatery, but his establishment instead decided to wage a false war.
Marshall C.
2:10 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
He didn't wage a war, the white people of Kirkwood wage that war.. I guess it's in there nature to dominate and control people.. Let the restaurant be. He's not going anywhere..
kirkwood roots
1:36 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
This place getting padlocked is not due to racism or negative attitudes - there are numerous minority-owned businesses in Kirkwood that are supported by the community. KBG is closed because the manager didn't pay the rent. When the owner took him to court, he agreed to a repayment plan...and evidently didn't make all of those payments either. He knew this would result in an immediate judgment for the entire amount due, which has now happened.
I suspect the problem is poor business management overall. According to reviews, the food was awful, the A/C was broken, they had a failed health inspection (66!), and staff and management were rude to customers. Kinda hard to stay in business that way, much less pay off $60k in back rent in 3 months. Tweeting 20-50 times a day for the last week is probably too little, too late to be effective PR. One has to wonder whether they even have a business plan or a marketing plan.
Marshall C.
2:12 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
I guess he got it together, never underestimate someone's passion.
Tammy
4:39 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
I wonder what I'll do with my Groupon now?
Marshall C.
2:13 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Go use it Tammy girl, there open and e trucks melt is very good, fish is not bad either..
morgifer
5:29 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
This was inevitable. The handwriting was on the wall for this business from Day Zero and anyone that's ever been to a QUALITY eatery or tavern would have sensed impending doom upon crossing the establishment's threshold for the first time.
Kirkwood DESERVES better and Kirkwood should DEMAND better from this property's mgmt team going forward.
My comments stem from no other bias than that born of the desire to see well-planned and appropriate going concerns provide high-quality goods and services in neighborhoods that deserve such. The ONLY color worth considering with regard to this failed and shabby venture is GREEN and--as will typically be the case--the people have voted WITH THEIR FEET.
ALWAYS DEMAND THE BEST, KIRKWOOD!
Love,
A Concerned Eastlake Brother-in-Arms
Kwood Puff
9:02 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
More news about KBG:
According to the Georgia Sec'y of State's website, Midtown Bar & Grill, LLC's registered agent, Abbe Kantor Agency Inc., resigned in December of 2011 with a letter stating they were named as the company's registered agent without their knowledge or consent and the company has not had another registered agent listed since that time. They have since been classified as “Noncompliant”, which means their business license was soon to be dissolved by GA SOS.
I still can’t believe some of the things this business had been able to get away with over the past year - blatant lying on their liquor license application, unlawful and dangerous behavior of (some) their patrons, illegal specials, open disregard for surrounding neighborhood and contextual environment, illegal window tinting that took over a year to remove after first removal notice, and of course, reinstatement of liquor license by judge after the Mayor sided with the KNO, NPU-O, and Councilwoman Archibong in denial of their licence - and yet they still managed to stay open!! However, I can't believe they were able to get away with using a registered agent that didn't even know was being used as such! That just seems borderline criminal, if not unbelievably dishonest, and is yet another example of how shamefully deceitful Mr. Johnson was with this business. Looks like his own missteps got the best of him. Good riddance!
Kwood Puff
9:22 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2012
By the way, Midtown Bar & Grill LLC = Kirkwood Bar and Grill. For some reason that was the name of his business entity.
Kirkwood Resident
8:33 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
FYI they are somehow open right now so I guess you can still use your groupon.
Tameka Dunton
11:54 pm on Friday, October 5, 2012
I don't go to this bar but I'm happy that he is still open because you guys hate on everything.keep this in mind there will be many more Black own business coming soon to your neighborhood.oh I forgot our neighborhood have a wonderful life because we will.
Kwood Puff
8:34 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
How many times do you have to be told this isn't about race. There are plenty of black owned businesses in Kirkwood that are VERY popular and don't have these problems. They all fit the neighborhood, fit the environment, and contribute to the community. You can find people of every color at La Petite Marche (amazing breakfast/lunch spot... and oh yeah, black owned) just down the block. David ain't from Kirkwood (he's from Grayson, why in the H is he running a bar in Kirkwood?), he doesn't know Kirkwood, he's exploiting Kirkwood.
Marshall C.
2:20 pm on Tuesday, October 30, 2012
LaPetite Marche is black owned and the food is very good but hell she made a mini Cracker Barrel to cater to a certain crowed.. Marche is not from Kirkwood either.. Carson calif. KBG is still open and doing just fine, deal with it!
Nick M
12:28 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Good lord, this isn't about race.
John Ford
9:44 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
This was about race from the very beginning. Perhaps not the race of the owners, per se. But the race of the patrons? Absolutely! I'm sure Kirkwood will support a black-owned business, as long as it doesn't bring more blacks around. At least, not "those" blacks.
Nick M
10:02 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
It's funny how the only racist comments are coming from the supporters of this establishment. Pretty telling actually.
John Ford
10:30 am on Saturday, October 6, 2012
Nick M, can you point out one of the racist comments? Do you mean mine? What makes it racist? Is it because I collectively attributed atributes to people in your neighborhood based on the comments of a few bad examples that appear above in this thread and elsewhere?
Or is it because I dare to acknowledge that there are a group of blacks that many people consider the "good blacks", and then there are just "blacks". You know, the ones who don't feel a need to walk around showing their teeth all day in a happy-negro smile in order to soothe a reassure the whites around them that everything is A-OK!
If that makes me racist, then guilty as charged. But I think it just makes me observant.
Nick M
12:48 pm on Saturday, October 6, 2012
John F, yes, here ya go: "I'm sure Kirkwood will support a black-owned business, as long as it doesn't bring more blacks around. At least, not "those" blacks." "I dare to acknowledge that there are a group of blacks that many people consider the "good blacks", and then there are just "blacks"."You know, the ones who don't feel a need to walk around showing their teeth all day in a happy-negro smile in order to soothe a reassure the whites around them that everything is A-OK!"
Guilty. Now please go troll somewhere else.