Update: Keane said his restaurants (Cyrus, Healdsburg Bar & Grill and the forthcoming Shimo will no longer serve or open wines from the Foley portfolio. “They aren’t going to be served or opened in our restaurants anymore,” he told BiteClub. So, uh, you might want to check out the Foley portfolio before heading to Healdsburg.
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Just six weeks after the sale of the Les Mars Hotel, tenant Cyrus Restaurant has received what amounts to an eviction notice from their new landlords.
Inside Scoop broke the story yesterday, and according to Cyrus Chef Douglas Keane, the restaurant received a legal notice of “election to declare forfeiture” from new co-landlords Bill Foley and David Fink last Friday. The notice claimed the restaurant had failed to pay its $13,000 November rent. But Keane claims he’s the one who raised the question to the new owners on October 28 of where his rent check should go three days before it was due.
“There was no official notice that the hotel was sold to the new owners. We’d heard casual stuff and it was in the press, but we never heard anything from our old landlord or new landlord,” Keane said. Having not heard from the new owners where to sign over the check, Keane put the rent into a trust account until the issue was resolved.
What’s behind all this? Keane claims there’s been some bad blood between himself and restaurateur David Fink, opining that the luxe resort manager may be eyeing the restaurant for himself. “My suspicions were that they were trying to mess with us,” said Keane. “I just want to be left alone.”
Keane and partner Nick Peyton have put nearly $2 million of their own money into the restaurant since opening in 2006. The restaurant signed a 15-year lease with the original owners of the hotel which Keane said cannot be broken by the new owners — unless they fail to pay rent. In which case they can be booted.
Hopefully, said Keane, the saga will end with his hand-delivering a check to the new landlords’ general manager today.
Didn’t we just see one of these Chefs on Hells Kitchen? Sad to read this article and hope they stay in Sonoma County.
I read the Foley family wine portfolio and I can’t say that I feel like I would be missing out. Go Keane and Co. Stick it to the man! 🙂
I see Redhead chose to censor my previous comment which contained no inappropriate language. Thanks.
My point on this: “Everyone should remember that there are two sides to a story, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle!” was this:
That’s nice, and polite. But it doesn’t apply in this case. There are no documented instances of Keane playing funny with rents in his past. You don’t read about problems with Cyrus and unpaid bills. You do however read all sorts of stories of predatory practices by Wells, and thus by association by Foley too. Furthermore, Keane’s been putting his rent monies into escrow, thus demonstrating full and complete Good Faith. I don’t see where Foley’s demonstrating the same. Everything was fine at Cyrus until Foley bought the building, then started in with his ways. I don’t think there are two sides to this story at all, and I don’t think the truth lies in the middle at all. I think Foley’s trying to screw Keane in a way that Keane never invited or would enjoy.
If you censor this, Redhead……. *sigh*
Um, because your handle is creepy and weird and your last comment had absolutely no context. Even from the grave you’re annoying, Jeffrey.
Hi Heather. I disagree that the original comment had no context. I would never post anything here that didn’t have context. The “creepy” handle was part of the point of the comment. The original comment was intended to be something a person had to think about just for a few moments. But I see I was too obscure and it went over your cute, red head. My bad, I suppose… Bon apetit!
I find you creepy and somehow charming now. I still don’t get you Jeffrey, but I’m warming up to your weirdness.
note to Mr. Foley: you’ve got to be kidding! You don’t honestly think you could win this battle, do you?
SoCo folks are not impressed w/ your enormous ego or pocket book. The locals will revolt and you will lose – it’s all about supporting our locals and you are not a local. Cyrus was here long before you thought you could come in and buy everyone off.
Throw out there the question about Foley not paying bills. They don’t pay their vendors……or staff either –
Everyone should remember that there are two sides to a story, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle!
Sounds kind of, you should excuse the expression, fishy. The restaurant could, of course, move and not miss much of a beat, but the new owners of the building will be pariahs in the community for a long time to come. Cyrus is a destination, folks, and it makes Healdsburg a destination city.
Hopefully this is an innocent oversight on the part of Foley and Fink. Healdsburg would not take too kindly to a newly-arrived billionaire messing with a very-well respected local business.
I hope Foley doesn’t turn out to be one of those rich guys who thinks he can do whatever he pleases at others’ expense. We’ve had enough of that in Healdsburg, and the rest of the country for that matter!
Too bad~
Cyrus is very important to Sonoma County as a destination dining experience.
I hope Cyrus can stay with the town of Healdsburg and Sonoma County, we are lucky to have them.
Thanks
Sheana
Hoping this is resolved quickly- Cyrus is too important to the local wine and food community…