Blues BBQ no longer intends to reopen after bankruptcy

Blues BBQ & Grill owners originally intended to reopen the East Dundee restaurant after filing for bankruptcy, their attorney said, but they have since decided they are "better off calling it quits."

The case was first filed as a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which would have allowed the owners to reorganize their business plan, pay off debts over time and keep the North River Street restaurant going, said Colleen Thomas, the attorney representing Blues BBQ.

"It became a little bit more overwhelming than originally intended," Thomas said.

The bankruptcy is in the process of being converted to a Chapter 7 case, meaning the Blues BBQ corporation would be required to liquidate its assets. Under current owners Buzz Doyle and Patrick Maggi, Thomas said, the restaurant will close for good.

Building owner Tom Roeser said potential buyers from earlier this month have since backed out because of "complications with the bankruptcy." He said, though, several other people have approached him with interest in the location.

"The future still looks very bright," he said. "A lot of people are excited about coming to East Dundee."

In addition to Blues BBQ, which opened in October 2014, Doyle and Maggi also owned Sweet Pop Fizz and Pasquale's Pizzeria and Delicatessen. Both businesses were along River Street and closed last summer.

"They tried running these three business down there," Thomas said. "I don't know if it's the location, the business owners or the people that were running it."

But Roeser was quick to shoot down the notion that the downtown East Dundee location was a factor.

"You cannot win with bad management," he said. "Blues had absentee managers. That was their peril."

Thomas said Blues BBQ is waiting for a judge to hear and approve the new bankruptcy request.

"Then, hopefully someone else will take over the restaurant and bring it back," she said.