Overview
- The Liberties, which announced a Labor Day closure on Sept. 7, has stayed shut this week while owner Ian Duggan fights the lender lawsuit and works to resolve frozen accounts.
- Court records show Black Olive Capital LLC filed a commercial suit in August that was later assigned to Kalamata Capital Group LLC and seeks about $160,000 after fees and interest.
- Duggan says liens tied to that dispute have frozen the bar’s payroll funds and that he is using his personal savings and retirement money to hire lawyers to try to release the money for employees’ final paychecks.
- The owner, who took over the 25-year-old pub in 2019, says he is open to handing operations to a new operator to preserve the venue and has provided contact information for interested parties.
- The case highlights a wider post-pandemic squeeze on small hospitality businesses where one-time relief and donations, including a $100,000 2020 gift used for $5 meals, did not prevent later creditor actions and potential closures.