RIVER NORTH — The owner of Nouveau Tavern has set up a crowdsourcing website for a legal "defense fund" as his embattled River North club faces a city shutdown this week.
The website, which went online Sunday, had raised $760 from 14 people online as of Monday afternoon. The website seeks to raise $15,000.
That's half the cost Nouveau Promotion Director Teddy Gilmore expects it will take in legal fees to prevent city officials from shuttering the Southern-style restaurant and bar at 358 W. Ontario St. The business, which has long drawn ire from its landlord, alderman and many neighbors, agreed to a temporary shutdown last week after City Hall filed a building complaint.
"I have a lot of friends from all over the world who want to support us," Gilmore said. "Whether you feel good about Nouveau or not, we have a right to be there."
A Cook County judge is scheduled to hear Thursday the city's emergency motion to close the club through its Drug and Gang House ordinance. No drug charges have been filed in association with the Nouveau, but fights and an incident yielding weapons charges have drawn numerous complaints about the club from neighbors and Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd), who has urged constituents to speak out at Nouveau-related court hearings.
Though Gilmore said the club made upward of $40,000 per night, its legal bills are stacking up. Nouveau ownership is also appealing a court-ordered eviction issued earlier this year.
Gilmore maintained his longtime position that the club was being unfairly targeted for political and racial reasons. Nouveau Owner Marsette Mangum did not return a message seeking comment.
"It bothers me to be closed for disorderly conduct or bar fights and things," Gilmore said. "Nobody's written that [the city has] put 67 people out of work this week."
Reilly and John Holden, a spokesman for the city's legal department, did not return messages seeking comment.
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