Twisted Spigots closes their doors Wednesday afternoon without warning to employees, contractors, businesses partners, and customers. Now the restaurant and management faces several separate lawsuits for unpaid services. 

Fired Up Holding Company Inc. owns several Twisted Spigot locations in town and have not commented on the abrupt closings. They were launched into the spotlight July 20 after other unexpected closing of the former restaurants, Ruby Tequila’s Mexican Kitchen. 

Related Link: Ruby Tequila’s Locations in Lubbock and Amarillo Closed This Week, Questions Remain

Fired Up owns several different restaurants in town but no longer claim ownership for Ruby Tequila’s. However, last Friday one of their employees told EverythingLubbock.com they manage Twisted Spigot and did not comment about future closures. 

Wednesday, a lock smith changed the locks on the doors at 411 University Ave Suite 100. The building landlord, DuWest Reality, left a note on the door stating, “The locks on this premises have been changed due to tenant’s failure to pay delinquent rent.”

Hired contractors, employees, and business partners with the restaurant all claim they have not been paid. 

Court Documents show R Tequila Acquisition, LLC owns several Ruby Tequila restaurants. They signed a contract with Fired Up for all responsibilities for the Lubbock locations. 

America Bank of Commenerce filed a lawsuit against R Tequila Acquisition, LLC, Akash Bhakta, Chetan Bhakta, Nikunj Bhakta, Ronak Parikh, Jimmy Salas, and Henry Leonnard for unpaid bills regarding local Ruby Tequila locations. 

Ruby Tequila’s released a statement in response to recent closures: 

Below is the full press release from Ruby Tequila’s:

“R Tequila Acquisition, LLC (“RTA”) operated four Ruby Tequila’s Mexican Kitchen restaurants in Amarillo and Lubbock (the “Restaurants”)  prior to May 1, 2017. 

Because Fired Up Holding Company, Inc. (“Fired Up”) indicated its intent to purchase the Restaurants, RTA signed multiple contracts with  Fired  Up. In the contracts,  beginning  May  1,  2017,  Fired  Up assumed the responsibility of operating the Restaurants, employing the employees of the Restaurants, and paying all employee wages and other Restaurant expenses incurred during Fired Up’s operation of the Restaurants.

RTA received a copy of a letter dated July 16, 2017, from Fired Up’s Director of Human Resources,
Kami Jackson, to “Team Ruby’s.”  RTA has been informed that Fired Up sent the letter to certain of Fired Up’s employees who worked at the Restaurants.  The letter stated that July 16, 2017, was the last day that  Fired  Up would operate the  Restaurants. Fired  Up also claimed to have terminated all of its contracts with  RTA,  which is a  claim that  RTA  strongly disputes. The Restaurants closed on July 17, 2017. Thereafter, RTA saw press reports stating that employees and vendors who worked for Fired Up at the Restaurants claimed not to have been paid by Fired Up. A State of Texas taxing authority also informed RTA that the government had not received taxes due from the sale of alcoholic beverages at the Restaurants after May 1.

RTA does not yet know if the Restaurants will be able to recover from the current situation.  RTA is currently conferring with its attorneys regarding Fired Up’s actions.”