Buddy's restaurant closes; past-due rent alleged

Buddy's Bar and Grill, the American-style restaurant at High Street and Euclid Avenue, has closed as part of a court complaint.

A complaint filed this week in Fayette District Court alleges that the restaurant was behind in its rent. Later in the week, the complaint was taped to the restaurant's doors, which were locked, alongside a leasing-information sign that stated that Buddy's has closed.

Buddy's management and ownership could not be reached for comment through either phone calls or email sent through the restaurant's Web site.

In the complaint, landlord Caller Properties claims that Buddy's Management Co. owed $47,244.07 in past-due rent and various fees through Sept. 23. The terms of the lease called for monthly rent of $6,666.67, according to the court document.

A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 11 in Fayette District Court.

The future of Buddy's was in question in January 2010 after its owner, Arron Rhodes, was sentenced in federal court to 30 months in prison for embezzling more than $300,000 from his former employer, Comtronics Inc. of Lexington. Rhodes had bought the restaurant in August 2009.

The restaurant continued, though. Its Web site lists the Rhodes family on its management page, and Secretary of State records for the most recent entity noted in the lawsuit listed Darla Rhodes as the registered agent for the company. She and Arron Rhodes were listed as managers of the restaurant in a previous filing under an affiliated name, Buddy's Restaurant LLC.

This story was originally published October 8, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Buddy's restaurant closes; past-due rent alleged."