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Don’t look now, but the jazz club known as Jardine’s is poised to get a new lease on life…
I know, it’s been a long hard media slog since the club mostly went dark last November. But think about how long The Phoenix downtown was out of commish before new owners breathed new life into it a few years back.
Face it, it’s not like the road to fame and fortune – even in Kansas City – is paved with live jazz music.
Not by a long shot.
And given how ugly Jardine’s closing went down – an employee mutiny, musician boycott, a tabloid TV news feeding frenzy and more – it’s wonderous that in a matters of weeks, days even, the club could be back up and running under new ownership.
That’s because, according to sources, a group of potential new owners lead by Robert McCain and Joseph Fulgenzi have been greenlighted by landlord American Century to take possession of the club.
"Yeah, I talked to ’em last night," says Jardine’s founder Greg Halstead. "And as far as I know, American Century has approved the deal and they’re meeting with attorneys today to finalize the whole thing."
A deal that would compensate Halstead for monies still owed from the sale of Jardine’s to current owner Beena Raja, retire major debt and taxes owed, compensate Raja and put Jardine’s and jazz back on the KC map.
Raja declined comment for this column.
"I hope they do very well and from a personal standpoint, I think they have the capability to make the place succeed," Halstead says. "I just hope they keep the place straight. To my understanding there’s not a gay jazz club in the United States."
Stay tuned…
w w w wait a minute…
I was going to comment “who cares?” until I read this….”I just hope they keep the place straight. To my understanding there’s not a gay jazz club in the United States.” WTF?
So they are gonna belt out show tunes in
fish net stockings on the sax?
“Jazz hands” is a gay maneuver is it not?
Wonder if you noticed, Hearne, what happened to Jardine’s website:
http://www.jardines4jazz.com/ redirects to http://www.jardinestours.com/
As silly as this sounds (and it sounds extremely silly) it looks like Beena is offering tours of India! Beena, honey, I wouldn’t let you drive me down to QuikTrip.
Halstead says. “I just hope they keep the place straight”…
The alternative being what? Fist Pump Fridays? Make Dave Stehens wear assless chaps? I hear they are gonna change the name to Little Boy Blues Blown Horn. They will serve nothing but little smokies and Long neck buds. You cant get in without a popped collar and a sweater over your shoulders like a gay cape. It’s not that they want to keep all straight people out, just Glazer. The thinking being he won’t troll the joint and roofie the patrons or college age waitstaff (no Seacrest).
Jesus tits, this story has gone on longer than Cats run on broadway. Just when it looked like it was going to “come to an end” heh, Hearne manages to get one of the former owners to make a retarded statement. Well played Silver Spoons, well played. Prepare for an onslaught of gay waiters to start tossing hissing that Beena is a coke fiend with a Cleopatra complex.
Say what you will, but one thing is certain, Hearne can take a dead beaten horse and make it rise like lazarus.
Uh, thanks…
But this while this horse clearly has been beaten, it’s far from dead. As evidenced by this news that is about to reopen.
tiad says:
Do these two gay dudes have any “chinks in their armor”? (If you know what I mean.)
They look like pretty nice guys.
All smartass remarks aside, I hope they do well.
Welcome to your new business, guys!
I find it interesting that their first house warming gift is the Jardines web site redirected to a tourist promotion site for India trips! That was very cleavor of her!! Now they get to start buy training customers to a new web site, when most have the old one book marked to check the schedule, and the FB page with 50Bazillion “friends” isn’t theirs either. Not that social marketing is the end all, but it would sure help if they had control of those. its the most simple way to get the word out. There’s the first chink in the armor.
That aside, Robert or Joseph, call any time you need, we can give you some pointers. First, the piano, second, the sound board has been lifted. I just hope these arent the first 5 of 105 surprises left to come. You guys need all the luck on your side you can get. Like I said, if we can help, dont hesitate to call. We’re plugged in to most of what you need from musicians to what ever.
Good luck, and I mean that. If nothing else, Im a good loser.
response to paul
It sounds like not buying Jardine’s is turning out to be a blessing in disguise. These guys sound like they are getting taken to the cleaners. On top of all the other debt, they are getting all these expensive surprises. You were smart not to deal with someone who was not dealing in good faith. However, I hope they can suceed and overcome all these hurdles and return Jardine’s to it’s former glory, like when Pat or Greg were running it.
Ghee Wiz
I hear the first private event is a fund raiser for Rick Santorum.
Jardine’s Facebook page and Beena’s…
Were hijacked by former Jardine’s staffers – including the boyfriend of a former manager – who locked Beena out and cost her dearly in not being able to communicate with the more than 5,000 friends.
Facebook has been notified and is investigating the parties involved as we speak.
Paulwilson would probably know better than
the rest of us, but I agree with Mike.
Jesus. I wouldda told them to piss up a rope.
Taking on all that debt for what is now some pretty questionable blue sky seems a stretch.
Maybe the actual price was really low.
comparison
Say you go look at a car. It is a car that blue books for $20,000. You can have it if you take over the debt on it plus another $10,000. The debt on it is $25,000 but it has a beautiful set of alloy wheels and a killer stereo. Against your better judgement, you shake hands and sign the papers. When you go to pick up the car, the stereo is gone and it is on plain wheels. That is what sounds like happened here but on a much larger scale.
Thanks, mike and chuck for your kind words
For all the reasons you listed, plus more that aren’t in the public eye, it became no longer a viable business model. We had multiple people approach us with offers of backing, any single investor would have been more than enough and we had chosen who we wanted to do that with, she and I will meet again next week to talk about other options in light of this recent event.
The issue is, when I approach something like this, I have to keep in my mind that Im going to be the same kind of steward to my investors money as I am my own skin in the game. And as bad as your car example looks, Mike, its even worse. Its taking your $20,000 car that sold new for $40K and the dealer telling you, “I want $20K for the car, but the previous owner didnt make all the payments, they still owe me $15K, so you need to pay that first to have the RIGHT to buy your $20K car thats only worth $20K” Thats the exact comparison but with more zeros at the end.
Our intent was to take my business background, Chelles musical background, pick up Jardines at a blue light special and put it back on the map. We had already talked about hosting 12th Street Jump from there, talked to the original sound guy, John Story, about doing a live stream on the Internet, Live From Jardines, as well as a number of other things that would have totally changed the face of what it was. Format the same, distribution and name recognition much bigger.
But, now, thats just a business plan that didnt see implementation. There are more of those than plans that get off the ground. From here, we will back up, take a look around and see if there isn’t something else worth doing that incorporates the same ideas. Being a real estate agent and running a salon is NOT the same as this game. Im afraid they are going to remodel, sink a ton of bank in making it a Trio Annex (no, thats not a gay slam, some of my best friends are gay… I just mean UPscale in appearance) with a huge lease build out, and not make it cash flow. That would be sad for all concerned as Jardines will be on the block again, Robert, Joseph and their 30+ investors will get an expensive lesson. Not as expensive as Kansrocksyourassoff, but expensive.
@ Paul Wilson
As you know only dead people keep secrets. What I’ve heard about this deal is that the investors would be better off dumping their money in to the Missouri River from the Bond Bridge and then driving to St. Louis and waiting for it.
Jardines may wind up being a great nightclub for the investors. It wil NEVER be a great investment. Greek bonds would be better.
smartman, youre right, with the final chapter now told…
…thats not, however, how we were structuring the deal.
When our plan no longer looked possible is when we moved to the background and waited to see if it would still default. That’s the only way it would have made sense.
You have to learn, and after multiple mergers, acquisitions and large scale takeovers, I HAVE, you can’t fall in love with an idea, concept or a dream and lose track of the reality of the situation. Thats when you end up ON the Missouri River, in your boat, with no paddle, and the money is flowing by just out of your reach!!
Paul Wilson
Paul
You should give it a rest. You once upon a time was a sprint director or something and now you own a shipping company i hear. I did not check that up to verify. I dont care. .I hope its doing well. what are you shipping? be proud of who you are. You only know me because, you came to me and wanted me to arrange your engagment to your lovely wife now a few months ago. you left me the ring on an afternoon. I did arrange with my satff and dave stephens and i did do so ,to make it special for you.Jardines have hosted a lot of that. I did what i am supposed to do . Its my job.I would appreciate it if you would quit bashing me without any facts .I dont know you and you certainly dont know anything about me. But thanks for keeping it entertaining forthe comment section.Hope the cigars you are smoking are good. I can offer you a few from my collection
Mike
Mike
If you are a car salesman, i would love to talk to you. No, I dont want to buy a car from you. what are you selling. can you actually add?
response to Beena
No I am not a car salesman but you should be. You would probably really be good at it.
Response to Mike
I am actually thinking about being in car sales. What do you drive Mike? Can I sell you a car? May be you can trade in what you drive and i can put you in a great car. I will throw in the alloy wheels and the stero system.What do you think?
Beena, Im not bashing you… but
your contract and the process to attempt to buy Jardines was the most convoluded thing I’ve ever been through and I’ve bought a few companies in the past.
My only point has been, you made it impossible with terms like, “Write me the check and you can see the books”. No one needs to bash you, youve done a fine job yourself. We all know the story, the facts stand on their own two feet. You still screwed over your “friend” Dave and many others. You have no room to judge me, dear.
And for the record, no, I dont own a shipping company, but thats OK. And you dont know me EITHER, had you known more maybe you would have been more easy to work with, but you made it clear you didnt care what happened to the place. How someone says that after pouring 8 years of their life into it is beyond me, but thats fine.
We would have made perfect owners, but that was then and this is now. The boys will get one surprise after another as the wade into the deep end!
Good luck with your car sales, your India tour packages or what ever.
response to Beena
Thank you for the offer but I like the car I have. It has alloy wheels, a great sound system and a big v8 as well. Good luck on your new career.
One more thought… Beena…
Remember this one, he who laughs LAST……. (look it up, it may become meaningful)
I agree Paul and thank you Mike.