December 6th 2024.
Wash Park Grille has been a staple in the South Gaylord Street community since 1997. However, on Wednesday, the city took control of the beloved Italian restaurant due to unpaid sales taxes totaling $33,358.
Owner Jeff Estey is determined to pick up the pieces and reopen as soon as possible. He has received overwhelming support from locals and even people from other parts of the city and state who want to see the restaurant survive.
Meanwhile, the city's finance department has placed locks on not only Wash Park Grille, but also on the neighboring Agave Taco Bar, which Estey also owns and is working to reopen. According to a public notice posted on the door of Wash Park Grille on November 27th, the city has seized the building and now holds control.
"These warrants are only issued as a last resort," explained Josh Rosenblum, a spokesman for the city's Department of Finance. "We do everything we can to help businesses avoid this type of situation before resorting to such measures." He added that the city values its local businesses and strives to provide excellent customer service to support their success.
However, Estey claims that he never received the city's 30-day notice to pay back taxes as he was hospitalized after leg surgery. He also believes that someone forged his signature on a city notice. "They told me they were going to lock the doors and that I had 30 days' notice," Estey said in a phone interview on Thursday. "But I had no idea about this." The sudden seizure has resulted in the cancellation or relocation of private parties and events, causing a major disruption during a typically profitable season for the restaurant.
Estey also mentioned that the situation has taken a toll on his 80 employees, some of whom have been with him for over 20 years. He and his late business partner, Greg Sauber, owned both Wash Park Grille and Agave Taco Bar, as well as the real estate for both establishments. Sauber passed away in 2022 and his obituary described him as someone who treated his employees like family.
In June, Sauber's estate filed a lawsuit against Estey, accusing him of not using a $1 million life insurance payment to buy out Sauber's shares in Wash Park Grille. Estey responded with a countersuit the following month, alleging that Sauber had left the restaurants with debt and had written a large check to himself. The legal battle is set to go to trial in May.
Estey believes that the lawsuit has contributed to the current situation with Wash Park Grille. "I saw this coming. Our already thin profit margins, combined with a legal battle with an estate, have been draining our resources," he explained.
Despite the challenges, Estey remains determined to reopen the restaurant as soon as possible and has been receiving countless calls from supporters offering their help. "I'm doing everything I can to get it back open today," he said. "It's an institution and I'm grateful for all the support."
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