PRINTERS ROW — Reserv is permanently closing, bringing an end to the controversial restaurant and nightlife venue’s short run in Printers Row.
Owner Gerald Joseph said that he surrendered his business license to the city ahead of a Oct. 16 Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) hearing and after months of complaints from neighbors about noise and large crowds around the business at 744 S. Dearborn St.
At a brief continuance meeting Friday, an attorney representing the city disclosed that a settlement agreement had been extended to Joseph ahead of next month. While the details of the agreement were not divulged, neighbors were told that the “writing was on wall” for Reserv.
Joseph did not attend the hearing, telling Block Club he no longer wants to fight.
“I’m done. We’re closed. I’m dead broke,” said Joseph. “My 80 employees are now out of a job.”
The business owner still faces eviction after being accused of owing $45,000 in back rent.
Activity in and around Reserv has dropped since late August, when a large fight broke out in front of the restaurant, prompting a huge police response. Then the city issued a cease-and-desist notice barring the business from playing live music and charging admission.
Joseph told CBS Chicago earlier this month that his security team worked with police to control the crowd and pushed back against the idea that the incident was representative of his business as a whole.
But neighbors said that previous disturbances — coupled with a lack of neighborly concern from Joseph about noise, cleanliness and safety — had made it difficult to extend goodwill. They also said they felt Reserv, which opened in December, had not made enough of an effort to build a relationship with the surrounding community.
Residents previously told Block Club that Reserv’s music would continue late into the night and that customers remained loud after leaving the business. One neighbor said the venue “doesn’t feel like a neighborhood kind of spot” and instead feels more like a club.
BACP gave Reserv a list of changes to implement, which included lowering music volume and providing proof of signage instructing patrons to quietly disperse after last call.
One neighbor said the owner has made the “right statements” during meetings but that they did not lead to any meaningful changes.
At a July hearing, Joseph said he tried to address those concerns by disconnecting two large subwoofers, adding extra security for crowd control and raising its minimum age to 30.
Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th) previously called for Reserv’s license to be revoked, saying the latest fight reinforced his position. He had planned to attend next month’s meeting, he told Block Club.
With all the bad press, Joseph said he hasn’t been able to find a job, adding that he worries for his future.
“I can’t afford to start over. I have 40 cents to my name,” he said.
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