A South Loop restaurant and bar that drew the ire of neighbors, employees and city officials permanently closed its doors.
Reserv at 744 S. Dearborn St. has relinquished its licenses, according to Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th).
The move comes “after months of concerns raised by Printers Row and South Loop residents,” Robinson said in an email this week to constituents. “Our office worked to ensure residents were heard throughout the city’s regulatory process.”
Robinson said he would continue working to ensure “businesses and neighborhood quality of life can thrive together.”
Reserv founder Gerald Joseph declined to comment.
The eatery had been facing mounting pressure to address noise complaints from neighbors and the city. Several former Reserv employees also alleged they were owed thousands of dollars in unpaid wages and tips. The restaurant, open for less than a year, also faced an eviction case after failing to pay roughly $45,000 in rent, court records show.
Throughout the summer, residents complained about loud music, rooftop noise and crowds gathering outside the bar. The Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection held several hearings about the noise.
Joseph told the Sun-Times in July that he took steps to appease neighbors by disconnecting subwoofers, increasing security and raising the minimum age for some events.
But the restaurant drew scrutiny again on Aug. 23, when several fights happened outside Reserv. Videos on social media, recorded by bystanders, show a brawl spreading into bike lanes on Dearborn Street. Chicago police could be seen dispersing the crowd.
At the time, Robinson called for the venue’s license to be revoked, arguing that neighbors had endured months of noise and public safety concerns.
“Our residents deserve to feel safe in their own neighborhood,” he said in a statement sent to residents. “I appreciate the officers who responded, and we will continue to work with BACP, CPD, and the community to ensure this matter is addressed appropriately and decisively.”
Following the August incident, the BACP issued a cease-and-desist order that required Reserv to stop hosting live music and events with cover charges.
Employees still waiting for pay
For former workers, the closure leaves lingering questions about whether they will ever recover their wages.
Shelbi Townsend worries that any further collection efforts will become more difficult, and city agencies have been slow to respond.
“It seems like the only progress we get is when I call in to check on the case,” Townsend, Reserv’s former bartender, said.
Another former employee, Kalyn Victor, said her attempts to be paid have been met with no response from Reserv.
Without payroll records, employees may have to rely on their own documentation to substantiate wage claims. Victor said city officials have asked Reserv’s workers to provide records of shifts worked, communications with management and attempts to obtain payment.
Victor and Townsend said they’ve found other bartending jobs since leaving Reserv earlier this year.
“I feel like he might file for bankruptcy in order to try to get out of paying us what we’re owed,” Townsend said of the founder.
Although she’s been encouraged by the support from neighbors, Victor said the attention surrounding Reserv’s closure has done little to ease the financial strain she has experienced.
“It kind of feels like everybody is paying attention to the news more than what’s actually going on with the people involved,” she said.