Olde Main closing

[RoseClone]

Olde Main toast, DG's and CP close on May 13.

Do you happen to have a link to information on CP closing May 13?

 

[JP4CY]

Do you happen to have a link to information on CP closing May 13?

Ames Main Street Facebook page says they are open until May 13th.

 

[CyCrazy]

Ames Main Street Facebook page says they are open until May 13th.

Olde Main closed today.

 

[JP4CY]

Olde Main closed today.

Yeah I posted that. DG and CP open until the 13th it looks like.

 

[CyCrazy]

Yeah I posted that. DG and CP open until the 13th it looks like.

Ah gotcha my bad.

 

[IcSyU]

I think the problem with many restaurants that fail is that there are many owners/managers who have poor business sense.

That's every industry ever.

 

[JP4CY]

Several inquires for the building already and an investigation going on:
https://www.amestrib.com/news/20190503/olde-main-closes-doors-following-liquor-license-suspension

 

[CloneGuy8]

That is prime real-estate. If someone like Barn Town wanted to expand and open a bar there, that would be a homerun for Ames.

 

[cyinfl]

I knew something was up about a year ago when I had to make a trip to the Sheriff's office. I always read the foreclosure notices just for fun and saw DG's/Corner Pocket on the list with First National Bank holding the mortgage. Seems like he owed them around $400k at the time. (at least on that building)

I had heard that he was spinning it as a legal maneuver as part of a divorce but that certainly doesn't explain not paying your taxes. There's no escaping them. I've also heard his family has a fair amount of money and has bailed him out more than once. Won't be any bailing out on this one, but he should have some equity in the properties.

The Olde Main location is a tough one simply because of it's size. It's incredibly poorly designed for a restaurant with the kitchen being WAY too far away from the seating area. Inefficient as hell. I think it would be a tough go in it's current configuration.

As for Corner Pocket, it's a good bar with a decent crowd of regulars but I'm not sure those pool tables are worth the space they're taking. Probably would be better to put the music downstairs as musicians hate dragging their crap up those narrow stairs.

Just an fyi, the divorce legal maneuver thing is not true. Divorce was final well before building went into foreclosure. He just plain wasn't making his loan payments and then somehow came up with the $400,000 before it went to auction.

 

[usedcarguy]

Just an fyi, the divorce legal maneuver thing is not true. Divorce was final well before building went into foreclosure. He just plain wasn't making his loan payments and then somehow came up with the $400,000 before it went to auction.

I don't disagree. Not withstanding the fact that banks don't like to spend the time and effort on foreclosing, there is almost no legitimate reason to let a property slide into foreclosure. Just thought the spin was interesting as well as telling.

 

[TLBCLONE]

New article about the questionable business practices of the owner of Olde Main. Sounds like a terrible guy. Long article but worth the read.

Olde Main Article

 

[isufbcurt]

what a scum ball

 

[CYdTracked]

I remember Bruno from El Bait Shop/Full Court Press bars say once that rooftop bars are a losing venture. Takes a lot of money to build and maintain one for only a few months of use a year. You have to hire staff just for it and makes it difficult to staff when weather dictates how much use it is going to get on a given day. Now throw in the toxic environment that story revealed and they should never had got the grant money in the first place. Some of the stories in that article remind me of Marty Tirrell a bit - a guy playing with money he did not have and did not plan to re-pay and didn't care who he hurt along the way as long as it benefited him. Eventually it all comes crashing down in 1 big mess.

 

[yler4cy]

New article about the questionable business practices of the owner of Olde Main. Sounds like a terrible guy. Long article but worth the read.

Olde Main Article

That article is long, but man the owner seems like a real winner. Also, as posted in the bottom of the article, 2 of the bars are posting on FB as if they are going to be opening back up later this year.

 

[ISU22CY]

What a tool

 

[ianoconnor]

It's remarkable to me that someone can operate businesses in such a morally bankrupt manner for so long. Pretty solid exposé there.

 

[1100011CS]

It's remarkable to me that someone can operate businesses in such a morally bankrupt manner for so long. Pretty solid exposé there.

Seems to happen quite frequently. Our President for example.

 

[Knownothing]

I just read that whole article. Why is it that if I don't pay a seatbelt ticket, they suspend my license and put out an arrest warrant. However, a guy like this seems to get away with everything. Makes me mad. I hope everyone in Ames reads this story and nobody goes to his bars ever again. Hope any new possible employees realize what he has done to past employees and nobody will work for him or at least get paid up front.

 

[jdcyclone19]

Wow, what a read. That guy is a scum ball. Now I'm ashamed I gave his businesses any of my money when I was in college.

BTW, olde main beer always made me feel like crap after drinking it.

 

[thatguy]

Wow, what a read. That guy is a scum ball. Now I'm ashamed I gave his businesses any of my money when I was in college.

BTW, olde main beer always made me feel like crap after drinking it.

Because breweries are responsible for cleaning their own lines. Usually the distributors do it if you agree to a certain percentage of their taps. It probably comes at no surprise, those lines were never cleaned.