HOUSTON – A beleaguered bar that bears the name of a country-singing superstar has closed for good at West Oaks Mall, while the company that owns and operates the establishment promises to open three more bars soon.
The westside location of "Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill" closed for good just after the new year, Boomtown Entertainment confirmed Monday.
Toby Keith does not own any part of the 14 locations scattered across the country.
He licensed his name for the venture that shares a name with his popular 2003 song, according to Boomtown Entertainment.
"The company has decided to tactically close locations in Houston, Folsom, California. and Newport News, Virginia. to evaluate and explore the marketplace for more strategic locations," a press release read.
The same press release promised new locations in College Station, Phoenix, and Lansing, Michigan.
Some Houston-area contractors are convinced the company is in trouble after they were not paid fully for work they performed at the West Oaks Mall location.
"We don't get any response. Even if we do get some sort of response from somebody, it's 'Oh, you guys will be paid in next 10 days," said Andy Crow, vice president of Direct Service, a company that did more than $180,000 of plumbing work at the Houston area bar.
Crow said that his company was still owed approximately $35,000.
Other contractors who worked to prepare the West Oaks property confirmed on Monday that they were owed money, too.
In September, Local 2 reported that the West Oaks location owed the state of Texas more than $31,000 in sales tax.
Late Monday afternoon, a spokesperson for Boomtown Entertainment had not responded to a question regarding the money owed and the opening of new locations.