Brian Maslowsky, the Boulder-based general contractor for BenchWarmers Tavern & Grill sports bars, says he’s owed $345,000 in unpaid bills for work on the restaurants in Aurora, Centennial, Erie and the Erie headquarters, as well as unfinished work on stores in Fayetteville, Ark., and Fort Collins.
Another vendor, who didn’t want his name in the newspaper, says he’s owed more than $100,000.
And the local outfit that handled all the framing on the stores’ memorabilia claims it was left with a $10,000 unpaid bill.
But the question that Maslowsky and other contractors are asking is: “Where’s the money?”
BenchWarmers shut down its Colorado operations last week after CEO Kevin Foote was arrested for a parole violation for leaving the state. He remains in Boulder County Jail pending an Aug. 23 hearing on the violation.
Meanwhile, the Weld County district attorney’s office and the Erie Police Department are investigating to determine whether principals Foote, Mitchell Right and Carolyn Cali committed fraud when contractors weren’t paid.
In the case of unpaid sales taxes, the Colorado Department of Revenue and the city of Aurora seized the assets after the closures.
Maslowsky said his suspicions started growing in May when Foote kept putting off paying him.
“If they had restaurants operating and making money but weren’t paying payroll taxes, vendors, employees or rent, where did the money go?” Maslowsky said. “Was it a scam from the beginning? I got ripped off.”
Gentleman’s Quarters closes quarters.
After a 15-year run, Gentleman’s Quarters, a men’s salon, has closed its Tamarac Square store.
Owner Bill Chrismer said the combination of the now nearly empty mall on East Hampden Avenue and an expiring lease persuaded him to consolidate to his other location in LoDo.
The Tamarac landlord, Developers Diversified Realty, offered to continue the lease on a month-to-month basis, Chrismer said.
“Everything has a life, and Tamarac had its life,” he said.
Ohio-based DDR has not returned numerous requests for comment on the future of Tamarac Square. Any remaining tenants have been told their leases will be terminated at the end of this month, with the exception of Rodney’s, which has six years remaining on its lease, and the movie theaters.
“I don’t have bad things to say about DDR,” Chrismer said. “I wish they could have told me more, but maybe they couldn’t.”
New hires.
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts 20-year veteran Simon Purvis has been tapped to take over the kitchen as executive chef for Edge Restaurant & Bar in the Denver Four Seasons, planned to open in November.
Purvis’ most recent gig was as executive chef for four years at the Four Seasons Resort Jackson Hole.
The hotel also has hired longtime Denver hospitality figure John Tobey as catering manager.
EAVESDROPPING
An older woman at Broncos training camp yelling to backup QB Brady Quinn: “Brady, can I be your adopted grandmother?”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
