Note: This article reported that a lawsuit was filed Aug. 3, 2018, against Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser, alleging breach of contract and other misdeeds, including misuse of funds. As of June 21, the lawsuit does not appear in online records for the Circuit Court of Cook County or U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern and Central Districts of Illinois.
Grace restaurant closed last December, after a falling out between owner Michael Olszewski, chef Curtis Duffy and general manager Michael Muser. But the legal feuding, apparently, is far from over.
As reported by Dan Mihalopoulos of WBEZ, Olszewski’s lawyers filed a lawsuit on Friday against Duffy and Muser, seeking more than $500,000 in damages for alleged breach of contract and other misdeeds, including misuse of funds.
The timing of the suit is curious. Olszewski has already announced plans for a new restaurant on the Grace property (652 W. Randolph St.), to be headed by chef Mari Katsumura. Duffy and Muser are working toward opening their own restaurant, perhaps as soon as 2019. It appeared, at least from a distance, that the concerned parties had moved on.
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Guess not.
Could this suit be an attempt to frighten potential investors away from Duffy and Muser? Or just more legal maneuvering?
Reached by phone, Muser and Duffy declined to speculate.
“Michael and I are intensely focused on finding the perfect home for our new project here in Chicago,” Duffy said. “We are beyond excited to share with everyone what we have in store for the city.”
Twitter @PhilVettel
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