Update, 10:02 a.m.: Jason Schofield contacted SJO after this article appeared earlier and said the restaurant will reopen on Tuesday, July 26. He acknowledged that he has had difficulties with the opening, including an unexpected dispute over a contract that affected payroll payments. But he said he had things under control at this point. “I didn’t come this far to just fail or quit,” he said in a message. “I believe in my concept and staff. We just have to sort out these speed bumps.”
Maddey’s Craft & Cru, which opened in the Church Street Station building less than two months ago, was shuttered over the weekend, leaving questions about whether it will reopen this week.
A sign was taped to the window of the front door saying that the restaurant was closed for a private event. The restaurant hosted the Orlando Downtown Partnership on Thursday, though the sign remained throughout the weekend and the restaurant was dark.
A message sent to co-owner and chef Jason Schofield went unanswered.
An employee, however, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that staff members were not being paid. The owner of a neighboring restaurant noted that the owners of Maddey’s had faced a number of setbacks as they struggled to open the restaurant. Indeed, the project was first announced nearly two years ago.
Maddey’s, which has a New York theme and featured craft cocktails and beers and fine wines, started serving the second week of June but had its official opening on June 30. SJO published a preview review when it opened
More details as they’re learned.