East State Street is home to many of Athens’ shops and restaurants, but one of them could be closing its doors for good.
Jack Harris, owner of investment group CMH Hospitality Inc. and operator of Abrio’s Brick Oven, filed an emergency motion Thursday to Athens County Common Pleas Court Judge L. Alan Goldsberry requesting authority to shut down the restaurant and sell the property.
“Sales have not recovered... (Harris) does not believe there is any value to the restaurant as a going concern or that it will be possible to maintain operations (in the future),” according to the motion.
The motion also states that Harris, the court-appointed receiver of the property, would need the restaurant to gross $14,000 per week in sales to stay in business.
It was not clear in court documents how much the restaurant currently makes a week, and an Abrio’s manager declined to comment.
Goldsberry has not yet provided a response to the motion regarding whether or not the property will be sold.
Harris became the restaurant’s operator in April, taking over from the previous company to operate the restaurant, Lady Hawke, LLC.
The court appointed Harris to operate the restaurant after previous owners failed to comply with a $300,000 promissory note — or promise to pay a specific amount to a person or organization by a specific date — to the Ohio University Credit Union.
In August, Harris tried to gain support from other creditors, such as the Athens County Economic Development Council, and asked to hire a real-estate agent to sell the business as a going concern.
Harris could not be reached for comment as of press time.
kf398711@ohiou.edu
@KellyPFisher
