After just one month in business, Ivory Keys Piano Bar (14701 Detroit Ave.) is closed. Last Saturday, employees were prevented from entering the premises thanks to locks placed on the front door by the landlord, says one disgruntled staffer.
“It’s closed now,” says Julia Kristi. “I hired all the employees for him and got it up and running for him.”
Kristi says that there were signs of impending doom from the start, a situation that quickly snowballed out of control.
“Obviously, I wasn’t working for free,” she says. “He wasn’t paying anything. He owes me like eight grand. He also told the servers when they started that he wasn’t going to pay out their credit tips right away, which ended up being not at all; he’s holding all of them. He didn’t pay anyone a paycheck and the only money people were getting were the cash tips. Even the performers didn’t get paid.”
Owner Thomas Russo agrees that the business plan was flawed, but denies owing any money except for two small amounts less than $200. Performers were paid in cash or by checks that cleared, he says. As for Kristi’s outstanding balance, he says it’s greatly inflated.
Russo, at least, accepts full responsibility when it comes to passing out blame. His business plan revolved around presenting quality live shows for free in the hopes that attendees would liberally spend money while there. That did not happen, he says.
“I agree with you that it was a bad business plan, because you can’t give free shows; you can’t support it,” he notes. “I’d be packed and hardly anybody would be spending money. I know I was only open a short time, but I wasn’t making any profit there and I couldn’t see hemorrhaging more of my money to keep something afloat.”
Compounding things, he claims, were slow weekdays and stiff neighborhood competition for entertainment dollars.
“I agree that there was major amounts of money that were owed too quickly off the beginning, there wasn’t time for me to build it up, I had a landlord that had zero patience with me…,” he rattles off.
Here’s something I think all sides can agree on:
“It was a horrible adventure in Lakewood,” Russo admits.
His former employees certainly agree. Here’s what one person, who preferred to remain anonymous, told us about Russo’s failures.
“When a person is starting up a small business, or investing in business, does not have the funds to back up their idea, it not only hurts the business or the owner, it also hurts the employees and everyone involved in attempting to make that business a success, while also trying to make money and feed their own families. When employees and distributors are not paid, livelihoods are affected and hurt, other businesses are affected, and local negative impacts snowball like what we have going on today. All in all when someone does not take a business venture/investment seriously, the entire community is hurt.”
This article appears in Jan 24-30, 2018.
He owes me 400$ and thats not including the days i worked befor opening day he pushed me to quit my other job just to find out that he was not giving me anything he promised in my opinion he has o idea how to run anything he also threatened me for slander but all i did was speak the truth
Wow…
he says you cant do free shows. i know of a number of places that put on live acts for free and do just fine. Five O’Clock Lounge in lakewood for example. what an idiot.
…”presenting quality live shows for free in the hopes that attendees would liberally spend money while there.” Exactly WTF does that even mean? That they would buy booze and food? If they did not…then why not? Something just doesn’t sound right. Or am I missing something here?.
“I’d be packed and hardly anybody would be spending money. I know I was only open a short time, but I wasnt making any profit there.” Of course you can’t give a show for free…staff and performers and landlord need to be paid…but if he was so packed, why weren’t those in the crowd buying drinks and munchies and bringing in enough moolah so he could make a profit?
This whine and jeeze makes very little sense. Some pieces are missing from this puzzle. Guess we will never find them, or finish the puzzle, will we?
I am saddened by this news. I was hoping, after paying my debts and bills and when I had a little more in the way of, discretionary funds, to go there and spread some of that lettuce around. I snoozed, I lose. But after only a MONTH? Something just hits a sour note here.
Bolivian marching powder, perhaps?
Too bad…[sniff]
this man has scammed SOOOOOO many people out of money. He has so many liens against him. OMG, he scammed me, it’s terrible. Can’t someone catch him and make him accountable.
I helped to open this bar as bartender and I also have not been paid for any of my hours worked or any of my credit card tips.
Also, the anonymous quote at the end of this article is mine. It’s a general statement but is very true and applies to all business ventures.
I worked on and off for Tom Russo for years. Never paid me the full amount ever! I used him at times when I could not find other work. He always paid me in cash even when I told him I needed a pay stub for taxes. He said it kept him from paying more taxes. He is a fraud! He is a liar! I will Never work for him again. I am glad I read these other posts because I am not the only one he has cheated out of money. Just because I am general labor does Not mean I am uneducated. I knew why he was paying me under the table. I still declared the measly amount he did pay me because I know what it means to run a business! Self-employed or not,I pay my taxes. Not Russo! He will get caught. Everyone he owes money to and bossed me around like I am worthless, his day will come.
Glad people are outing him. For the few years that I did work for him I was never paid on time or in full….while he brags about all the money he has. He talks big, acts big, but when it comes to paying, he’s the worst I’ve ever encountered. He’s condescending, abusive, and even makes threats of physical harm from time to time. He needs to be audited and also charged for his labor compensation crimes….. Do some digging Scene, there are more layers to this rotten onion.
Joe Pagonakis from Ch. 5 did a story on this walking mess last weekend (Friday night at 11 PM). Maybe the Feds need to do some sniffing (pun intended) around this clown’s activities. Can you say the IRS AND the DEA? Mister Ness…or someone like him…needs to be on this guy’s case…and to nail him to the wall. Abusive and threatening…is he connected or what? Either the Boys are back in town…or else he’s just a wannabe. I’d go with Door Number Two.
PLEASE make him accountable for what he had done! He is 100% abusive. He threatens people all of the time. He is a rotten person.
Russo hired me to play the piano and then blew me off. But, I had a funny feeling about it from the start. So, not surprised at any of this.
I interviewed for him and he hit on me! He told me if I dressed hot I would get more tips. He is gross!
After I read Facebook comments I reached out to people. Not the only one. Tom Russo has sexually harassed other girls. They said they were to afraid to come forward cuz he threatened them with his connections. He told them he will only get a slap on the wrist and won’t ever get n trouble. This is BS! he is getting away with so much.
He got wasted and sexually harassed me. Said if I told anyone he would get me. I’m too afraid.
Searched this dbags name and found this. Just did a job for him and paid me half. He still owes me and knows it.