When I last wrote in August about Kevin C. Foote, the guy who was building the BenchWarmers franchise with three of a planned 20 or more restaurants open in Colorado, he was in the custody of the Colorado Department of Corrections.
Foote had been arrested July 28 for a parole violation after it was reported that he allegedly left the state without permission and used an unauthorized credit card.
That arrest prompted the other two principals in the sports-bar- themed chain with locations in Aurora, Centennial and Erie to close operations, leaving a mountain of unpaid debt and back salary owed to more than 300 employees.
Since Sept. 28, Foote has been living in a halfway house in Colorado that’s under contract with the Department of Corrections, where he can be reparoled on Jan. 24, 2011.
Meanwhile, the Erie Police Department is still investigating numerous complaints from unpaid contractors to determine whether the charges should be criminal — if Foote never intended to pay the contractors — or if a civil suit should be brought forward.
Also implicated in any illegal actions are the two other principals in BenchWarmers. Following Foote’s arrest, the Colorado Department of Revenue seized the three restaurants and Erie headquarters building for back taxes.
Samba saga.
It’s rare for a business to be closed since May and be able to reopen and bounce back.
But Samba Room, the once-popular restaurant on Larimer Square, is undergoing major repairs to reopen in December.
Work to replace the floor that suffered a water leak that eventually dripped into the Comedy Works space below started last week on Samba.
Further stalling the effort was a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by the parent company that included the ability to keep lucrative locations going.
“They finally signed their contract with the construction company,” said Joe Vostrejs, chief operating officer of landlord Larimer Associates.
“It was a busy, profitable operation before, so they want it back.”
Free TV.
In celebration of Frontier Airlines boss Bryan Bedford‘s appearance on the reality series “Undercover Boss” at 8 tonight on KCNC-Channel 4, the airline is offering free DIRECTV service on all of the carrier’s Airbus aircraft. Before the episode, fans of Frontier’s Facebook fan page can take an “Undercover Boss” quiz to earn a $25 credit toward their next flight.
To the Max.
Max Muscle Sports Nutrition, a retail franchise operation that sells sports nutrition products, will celebrate the grand opening of its largest store in the U.S. next Saturday at 5066 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Littleton.
Owned by Billy Van Heusen Jr., son of former Broncos player Billy Van Heusen, the 3,000-square-foot store will feature a conference room and interactive Nutrition Media Center where customers can learn more about living a healthy lifestyle.
The Saturday event will include an autograph signing from noon to 4 p.m. by Shane Carwin, a Greeley native and Ultimate Fighting Champion; a meet-and-greet with Miss Colorado 2010 Melaina Shipwash; former Denver Broncos football players; nutritional counseling and product sampling; and a chance to win a 42-inch plasma screen TV and a Compaq laptop. More info: 303-629-5326.
Short seen.
The diminutive Leslie Jordan, a 2006 Emmy winner for “Will and Grace,” lunching at Dixons on Friday.
EAVESDROPPING
Two men chatting over lunch at Cherry Hills Country Club:
“I sent my kid off to college and the only thing he passed was his hearing test!”
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-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
