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There have surely been dicier business propositions than the sale of Jardine’s...
Then again, I’ve yet to be privy to one. Let’s review, shall we?
Following a series of flareups with her manager / chef, Jardine’s owner Beena Raja and a hairstylist pal returned to the club by cab in the wee hours Thanksgiving morning to retrieve the stylist’s car. Only to discover a passel of servers drinking and smoking illegally after hours at the club.
On Jardine’s dime, no less, Raja says.
Here’s where it gets a little dicey. Even though the staff was breaking the law – not to mention helping themselves to jazz club’s booze without paying – instead of firing everyone or sending them packing – Raja joined the group and they partied on well into the daylight hours.
Then later, after scolding the chef dude, he resigned, two subordinates were fired and a dishwasher walked, Raja says.
The rest is history.
A number of servers were apparently told they’d been fired and didn’t show up to work – even though they’d not heard directly from Raja. Another longtime server showed up at Jardine’s and tried to convince Raja to get a grip on herself and the business, sources say. However that backfired and ended in an unpleasent exchange with Raja calling the police on him.
Minutes later, the server’s stepfather, local jazz icon Stan Kessler and his band The Sons of Brasil showed up to play that night, learned of his son’s ouster, held an impromptu meeting outside on Main Street and decided not to play.
Oh, and one more thing…
Kessler then allegedly sent a mass email to other KC jazz musicians urging them not to play Jardine’s. Game on. A jazz club killing musician boycott ensued that rendered the club dark for most of the past two months.
The current nightmare / quagmire is so complex even the most ardent jazz afficionados would be hard pressed to strain through it for the inner truth.
But in a nutshell two parties, a former Sprint exec and a pair of well-intentioned gay dudes have been actively pursuing the purchase of Jardine’s. However, as of today, the club’s future and ownership remain completely up in the air.
Here’s what passes for what’s known…
The ex Sprint dude – Paul Wilson – was unable to carve out anything approaching a deal that made sense or could be accurately delineated. So now, he’s basically out.
"From here, if everyone else defaults or drops out, we’ll buy it," Wilson says. "My grandfather always told me, ‘You don’t wrestle with a pig. You find out in about 30 seconds that you’re dirty and the pig actually likes it. That’s where we are. We’re real dirty at this point."
That leaves hair stylist Robert McCain and partner Joseph Fulgenzi – who famously told the Pitch and Fox 4 last month they’d bought Jardine’s – still in the running.
According to Raja, former Jardine’s co-owner Pat Hanrahan and founder Greg Halstead – who is still owed money on the purchase of the club by Raja – McCain and Fulgenzi are still in negotiations with all parties to buy Jardine’s.
However, a final deal is yet to be struck.
And an important deadline in this complicated mess goes down tomorrow. That being that Raja’s monthly payment to Halstead is due. And if it’s not reciecved Halstead could move on the assets of the club.
The bottom line: If McCain and Fulgenzi make the payment to Halstead, come to terms with landlord American Century and clear up whatever back taxes and liquor expenses are owed, they just might become the actual new owners of Jardine’s.
That’s a pretty big "if" though.
All that said, pretty much everybody in this tired game is hoping they can pull it off.
We’ll see.
Come On Hearne
Hearne why didn’t you wait till at least tomorrow when you might have had a real update to give. This is the same ole story now for 2 weeks at least.
Heart of a Lamb-passion for fate of eclectic/romantic venue!
But a hide of a buffalo! It’s not over ’til it’s over. I believe in my whole heart, there’s a a purpose, a plan and timing… and a grace going before us. Yet, may what’s best for KC, jardine’s, Halsted and all the past employees win.
You want news only to be reported after the fact?
This is the news dude. One of the two buyers is more-or-less dropping out. The other is facing a critical deadline. But trust me, the way this story is going it may or may not advance based upon what happens tomo with Halstead.
If you aren’t interested in this story may I suggest you skim the headlines until it’s over?
“And A Dishwasher Walked”
“Then later, after scolding the chef dude, he resigned, two subordinates were fired and a dishwasher walked, Raja says.” Great line.
“And A Dishwasher Walked”
Come on Chuck, Smarty ! run with this….give us an old school KCC screenplay of how this all went down.
Act 1 Turkey Day Massacre
Act 2 The Boycott
Act 3 Brass Tacks and Who is Paul Wilson?
bschloz
At this point, the evidence would seem to indicate, that Paul Wislon is actually a guy named Keyser Soze.
If you look at the different posts by Hearne and add the commentary by Beena, each time this subject has come up and count the number of lower case “e”s, then you have the number 19. Is this co incidental? I THINK NOT!!!
I give you, bschloz, my man, the Nubian Necromancer of Numbers hisself, Louie Prime Number Farrakhan!!
“FARRAKHAN: Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president. Thomas Jefferson, the third president, and 16 and three make 19 again. What is so deep about this number 19? Why are we standing on the Capitol steps today? That number 19 — when you have a nine you have a womb that is pregnant. And when you have a one standing by the nine, it means that there’s something secret that has to be unfolded.”
Beena was impregnated at the Capital Grille by the President of a local corporation who is an advocate of primogeniture.
If the baby is a boy, then we have to wait for the sale until he reaches his majority.
THAT, my friends, is actually whiy this is taking so long.
Your welcome.
By the way, Kaiser denies paternity and will prove it on Maury.
Lets hope he can dance.
Jardines sudden death sale
Hearne, you have the “facts” totally wrong. Every single word you wrote about me is incorrect except for the fact that The Sons of Brasil decided not to play on Dec.1st, which was because there was no staff and had absolutely nothing to do with the firing of my stepson. I sent no mass email calling for a boycott. The musicians in town each decided on a course of action on their own based on what happened. I don’t know where you hear this crap and how you can print it without follow up. Just because you use the word “allegedly” doesn’t mean you can print something based on hearsay. The next time you want to know what I did or said, why not just ask me?
bschloz, Im paul wilson, or to Harley…
“Wilson?” We, Chelle and I, have been in this mix from the beginning, the first night of the Dave Stephens cancellation. I’m pretty much who Hearne has said I am, just much prettier than he describes because he still doesnt want to come all the way out of the closet.
We have wanted to buy this all along, but when you have your own money to safe guard as well as that of good intentioned investors who want to help, you have to use your best due dliigence in making a deal like this. Its mostly been done in the dark with little forthcoming. Im not saying we are out of the game, but at the current price tag, its a bad deal, unless of course, she was staying involved as a minority partner, which we would not do. Some may, not us.
This has taught me several things I’ve NEVER seen in a business acquisition. Among them, I need a better promo picture!
This deal is takin too long Paul.
I think its gonna take Beena waking up with a bloody horse head under her covers and a butterfly cocoon in her mouth before she will accept an offer.
Tell her your Venture Capital guys are looking at the new “Bassomatic” and the window is closing.
Well, Paul Wilson, Beena and Armeda all say you sent an email, that’s three sources.
The night you showed up to play there was a cook, a bartender (Beena) and a server – your son having bailed minutes earlier. So there in fact was a staff.
Now you have every right to say that your son having just left with the police hot on his tail was not a factor in your thinking, but it is a fact that it happened.
Chuck, heres whats taking so long…
I read you all the time, you’re a smart guy. I didn
Oh, one last thing, chuck….
While Im NOT “Kaiser?”, I can tell you this; the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.
And in the words of Glazer, my Executive Producer…..
“…………….and………………SCENE!………….. fade to black!”
(reach back in your triva archive for that one!)
Chuck, I cant stand Hearne, I just come here to read you, SD, Smart , the NEW Harley and see what I can COPY from Mermaid and use for my own.
Ouch!
Hearne, I was TRYING to cover our Bromance….
just like you always ask me to. No need to act all hurt.
That’s cool, but no makeup sex, OK?
I totally agree, but can I do this?
I’d like to photoshop a promo picture of you and me. It seems to come in handy for Robert and Joseph. Maybe if I would open each venture I go into with a head shot of the two of us, it would change things. Add credibility. Do you have a blue suit/shirt? I’m really open to colors. Maybe even business casual, one with you in a TUX tshirt and me wearing an “Im With Stupid” shirt and an arrow pointing up.
I’d ask Harley but Im sure he’d want you in a “1%-er” tee and me wearing “$11/hr working serf”, Thats just not the image Im looking for. Im open to your thoughts.
Wish ya the best Paul
Just makin a few jokes.
Actually I am terrible with money. If I was buying a business, I would have someone else do it while I was out of town.
That quote is also in a couple other flicks.
Good luck with it, if ya get it bought, I’ll come down and have dinner.
🙂
I know, Chuck. Outside of ME….
youre one of the funniest guys on here. I like what you have to say, usually extremely witty, complex and my kind of humor. I need to stop complimenting you before Hearne gets into his jealous rage thing he does. I mean what I say, Im a man of my word, or my name’s not Keyser Soze.
Hindu Unto Others
Beena’s just an unreasonable psycho bitch. This isn’t a 7 times EBITDA deal. A good friend of mine knows all about the bar business and has been involved in numerous startups and rescues over the years. The best deal he says Beena could hope for would be $25K to $50K and she hits the bricks. You might toss in some goodwill compensation at the rate of 1 or 2 percent of the net for 1 to 3 years.
I’m sure she thinks she has some mongo equity in the bar that’s worth $250K. I’m sure she thinks she needs to be involved on a short term or long term basis. She’s cuckoo for coco puffs. My offer of a one way ticket back to Mumbai still stands. Get the hell out of KC you insipid, pedantic coke whore!
It’s well known that she was on a tight leash with her food and booze suppliers, so not much downside there. Back rent and payments for buying the business are the major expenses. Jardines can easily make $200K a year and that would be paying a really good manager and assistant $75K and $50K along with some bonuses based on performance metrics.
Beena fucked up a great business. Sacred Cow, Golden Goose, give it a name. In KC it’s about as risk free a nightclub as you can find, IF you run it the right way.
smartman, once again, is….
the Smartman. You are close enough to numbers Chelle and I have tossed around that you could have copied off our notes. There big pole in the tent, however, is lines like, “youre responsibile for the debt; I wont tell you what the debt is”. When one gremlin after another, like that, pops up its ugly little head, we found most our time has been spent playing whack-a-mole and digging for answers. The more the debt climbs, the more that “hit the bricks” number decreases.
I wish the boys luck if they pull it off. They either know something we dont or are about to take a Business 101 spanking.
Like I said, its not over YET. We have some great plans ranging from profit sharing for the staff to hosting a national radio show from there. I’ve tried not to get too tied to the idea till the deals done because we’ve both thought it could be a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun for everyone concerned.
Problem is, in my mind, if they take it at the numbers Im hearing, gut and remodel, they have more down time and will open with an enormous montly nut to service. My fear is, if it fails a second time, will you be able to get it off life support? Code Blue, Jardines.
and since you brought up my name…here’s what to do…
WALK. WILSON…WALK…NO RUN! RUN FAST! AND VERY FAST!
There appear to be too many skeletons in the closet of this deal. Even if you were to buy this
joint there will be problems coming your way for months/years to come. It appears from my
vantage point that noone knows whats going on…and the court costs could ruin you because
noone appears to be ab le to make a deal. Have you seen who actually owns the place?
Have you seen the books? Have you seen the paperwork on all the equipment and
is it paid off in full. Will the bands come back? What about owners lurking waiting to come
out once a deal is made. Does beenie have the paperwork and who actually owns the place.
Too many questions. Most importantly you said you diidn’t have the time and that your wife
was going to do the day to day things. Does youtr wife understand the business? And why most
importantly would you subject your wife to having to deal with drunks/liars/scammers/cheats
(just to name a few) that she will have to deal with in the future. If you love your wife run…run fast.
Ask bschloz…glaze…or any businessperson who’s doneedeals like this. This is just too shaky
and way to crazy. Why would you put yourself and your wife thru this? Having known the business…
having seen the turmoil and hours needed to run that type of business…why would a successful
businessman like yourself inflict all this unneeded pain on yourself.
You can probably find other investments that will pay off better returns than a bar…i know there
are many. And don’t think of an investment as a love…its not. You love your wife…you don’t love
a business…its torture and will in the end give you a heart attack.
As for that band leader who wrote an email calling for a boycott…i sugest you get an attorney
quickly….in business we cal l that tortious interference…which could cost you dearly.
Don’t know the specifics…but be careful.
Good luck wilson…think of the downside and remember that all businesses “unwind”.
You can do better in something you know about…an area you havbe experience in.
why would you want to deal with the low lifes that come with owning a bar.
as it has been said…the music stopped…so stop dancing. It’s time to move on and let
someone elsev sweat out the sale.
And besides…these types of businesses have no books. They have no income…they are usually
cash businesses where the owners clean them out..or as they say in the northeast part of town..
“they bust them out”…no books..no sale. Pretend you’re buying a dream…pretend there was
revenue…because these places can’t produce numbers and you’re better off picking numbers
out of ahat. RUN…RUN FAST…AND MOST IMPORTANTLY FIND ANOTHER “HOBBY” OR “LOVE”..
IT WILL SAVE YOU A LOT OF MONEY AND GRIEF!
harley, all good, valid points
…but what I was trying to outline was the KCC version or explanation.
We actually built a 1, 3, 5, 10 year plan and exit strategy. Email me if you like, I’ll respond in more detail.
All business problems are communications
Opening a music venue of any type is rough. Buying a business which has been drug through the mud, the blood and the (if only Beena had said, Pepsi, please) fear is risky. Tack on a venue which is ill-suited for music. Food was so-so and service marginal. More about style than substance. The music was the only legitimate thing of late.
Will the musicians come back if Beena hasn’t been deleted from the equation? It doesn’t sound like it.
Frank Hicks has created a business, in a location which is not off-Plaza, and done well. He is respected by musicians and patrons. I’m pretty sure Frank didn’t set out to build the best venue in the world. He treats people with respect and it has been rewarded.
If the menege de trois doesn’t get the doors open shortly then it will stay dark. The goodwill which usually accompanies a business deal is sorely lacking in this tale.
I’ll talk to ya Wilson like a Dutch uncle, if you’ve got the product the customer will come to you. Rather than some swanky Plaza address put the joint where the action was centered when it was being born. Not the 18th St. place but Independence Avenue. Or is it Boulevard now? Joints where Big Joe Turner belted out the blues.
I knew a guy in Northeast. Lived in the sewers under 9th St because of his family. harley? Did you stay home?
questions to Paul
Is the deadline to pay Greg Halstead midnight? Has she paid him? What would be the process to buy it if Beena defaults? Will she be involved any longer? Maybe Greg would be easier to deal with. I hope it works out for you. You seem to have a passion for restoring Jardine’s to its former glory.
if the boys pull it off, it all may be mute
but you guys know how to find me, I’ll explain in detail, if you like.
Orphan, all good points and all things that have been suggested to us.
Harley, its not for the LOVE of doing the deal, I agree totally, you dont let your emotions get involved and we havent. I DO love my wifre, Jardines would have been a fun “vehicle” to let us do some other things. And, its not as simple as I laid it out, “she’ll do the day time stuff, we’ll hang out down there some…”. But I know where you got that, cause that IS what I said.
Mike, it truely belonged to Beena with Greg holding a note. She owns the name.
More later, Ive got some stuff to do.
Jardines sudden death sale
Hearne Dear, Once again, you are incorrect in every way. You do not have the “facts”, not even close. Sorry to disappoint. I never sent such an email to any of the three you mentioned. If you ever get hard evidence of such an email, I’d love to see it. And as for what happened on December 1st, I was there, you were not. I’m out.