North End Cafe closing permanently

[Robin Garr]

Sad news ...

PRESS RELEASE
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the closing of the North End Cafe in the fabulous and welcoming Historic Clifton Neighborhood. It's been a great 17 years together. We would like to thank all our regular customers, employees, and neighbors for a wonderful run. Creating and running a small business is challenging work, and we couldn't have done it without you. Though our location is brick and mortar ... our legacy is our great food and outstanding employees who made it work. We know our sweet space will be filled by another exceptional example of local cuisine. Thanks for the memories!
Sincerely,
The Owners and Staff of the North End Café
1722 Frankfort Ave.
Historic Clifton

Express your thoughts on North End's Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/TheNorthEndCaf ... =3&theater

I heard today that Verbena has also permanently closed.

Had they not withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime from their employees this may have turned out a lot differently. Remember folks, not only the Rona kills restaurants. Sometimes owners do too.

[Robin Garr]

Not to mention building owners with unrealistic lease expectations, Bob, but that's a whole nother story. Point well taken, but still, as a consumer I'm going to miss the place.

Our favorite breakfast/brunch spot when we moved to Louisville 15 years ago. All around quality dropped year by year. Hadn’t been in 4-5 years.

I heard today that Verbena has also permanently closed.

That was our "go to" place for brunch ... Chicago-style large menu well-executed ... we will miss it!

[Robin Garr]

Had they not withheld hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime from their employees this may have turned out a lot differently. Remember folks, not only the Rona kills restaurants. Sometimes owners do too.

More info on that from WDRB:

North End Cafe files for bankruptcy protection as feds press wage and hour lawsuit
Chris Otts May 12, 2020

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The North End Café, a staple of Frankfort Avenue’s dining scene since 2003, filed for bankruptcy protection this month, with the business’ owners using the type of proceeding that indicates they plan to liquidate the business' assets.

The May 3 filing comes as the café’s owners – operator Christopher Seckman and investors Walton and Whitney Jones – remain embroiled in a 2018 lawsuit in which the federal government alleges their business stiffed restaurant employees out of overtime pay.

The U.S. Department of Labor says employees who worked at both the Frankfort Avenue restaurant and at North End Café’s second location on Bardstown Road, which was open from 2011 to 2019, should have been paid overtime for weekly hours in excess of 40, even if the two restaurants were organized under distinct limited liability companies.

“The two restaurants, in addition to sharing a name, not surprisingly, served the same type of food and largely the same menu. And, as key to this case, the two restaurants also shared employees in their kitchens during the same workweeks,” the labor department said in a court filing last month.

It’s unclear whether the bankruptcy filing is related to the Department of Labor’s lawsuit, which seeks more than $250,000 in back wages and damages. But North End Café attorneys indicated in a court filing that the bankruptcy case halts the lawsuit.

An attorney for the North End Café defendants did not return a call for comment.

https://www.wdrb.com/in-depth/north-end ... 9f9c9.html