Four months ago, Ervin filed an eviction lawsuit against the restaurant , claiming Sidebar and Higgins owed $34,723 in rent, back rent, late fees, utilities and taxes. That lawsuit, however, was voluntarily dismissed within a week.
Sidebar was picketed Saturday by employees and ex-employees claiming they were not being properly compensated. Higgins said the picketing was prompted in part by his termination of eight or nine employees after an after-hours party inside the restaurant a week ago.
Dan Tierney, spokesman for the Ohio Attorney General’s office, said Monday that Sidebar owes $42,000 in sales taxes and $51,000 in required unemployment compensation payments to the state, dating to early 2012. Higgins on Monday acknowledged the tax arrears, but said he is on a payment plan and has started paying down the debt.
Higgins, who operates a restaurant and bar in Columbus also called Sidebar, said he is “already looking and in negotiations” for another location in the Dayton area to reopen Sidebar.
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