Marathon 'elected' to close?
Court records show a debt to the landlord of more than $186,000.
Marathon 'elected' to close?
Michael Klein, Philly.com
Filed Under: TableTalk
There are at least two sides to every story, and the seemingly abrupt closing of the Marathon Grill at 1339 Chestnut St. on Dec. 7 is no different.
Marathon released a statement late that evening, explaining: "Due to increasing rental expenses, Marathon has elected to close its Broad and Chestnut Street location."
Philadelphia Municipal Court records show Marathon was evicted from its location of 15 years over back rent of more than $186,600. The landlord filed suit back in March. Several extensions delayed any action. (See the notice.)
It's highly unusual for an eviction to be carried out during business hours.
A now-unemployed waitress, who asked me not to disclose her identity, said she and other servers were wrapping up the lunch rush about 3 p.m. when a woman asked to see the manager. At once, two men came in and changed the door locks. A Philadelphia police officer stood in the doorway. Staff was ordered to tell customers, some of whom were still eating, that they had to leave. Their food was packed up to go. Then staff - including cooks and dishwashers - was told to gather their personal belongings and leave.
Staff got an email about 4 p.m. that read:
HEY EVERYONE, We will be closed tonight and tomorrow. We will be keeping everyone updated on changes that are happening and [manager] will call a meeting as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience during this time. Management
This was followed at midnight by another:
Hi Everyone, As you know at times we are faced with making challenging decisions and today was one of those days for Marathon. As a result of increased occupancy costs it no longer makes sense for us to continue to operate a Marathon at Broad and Chestnut. It is always a sad and painful process to close one of our restaurants. We remain excited about the restaurants we are operating and enthusiastic about the future. We've had 15 great years at Chestnut Street and through thick and thin, you have all been a part it and we thank you tremendously. We will try to find a place for as many of our team members as possible. For those of you who are moving on, we wish you the best of everything in your upcoming endeavors.
Comments (56)
Crazy how they spin the truth. Can't trust these owners. How soon before all the sites close down? Bye, Marathon!— PhillyWings- The owner is Neil Steins sister Cheryl. Yes the same Neil Stein that owes the city $1 million in back taxes, nough said right?
— 420-24-7 - Marathon is a local treasure. If those who don't realize that, or take Marathons for granted, just travel around to other cities and taste test their local chains. By comparison, Marathon offers quality food at very reasonable prices, in nice, clean settings, with excellent service.— mmds
- Sure... if you "treasure" meh food and slooooooow service. — blunted1
- Ha ha. Sure if you think a chain somehow represents the best culinary offering of a city. — Kcrul147
- I am not sure how it is a treasure, but I agree it is local. I have only had *decent* food there with pretty good service. Marathon is perfectly fine, but I can't see that making it a treasure.
What was a treasure was that Indian place at the corner of Juniper and Walnut that IHOP replaced after a "rent increase." That was a real shame. - You mean that indian place that moved a few doors down? Get in the city much? — p
- The Indian restaurant a few doors down from Juniper and Walnut is Minar Palace, which used to be on Sansom Street past 16th. The one that closed, where IHop is now, was A Passage to India -- a different restaurant altogether.
- The Indian restaurant a few doors down from Juniper and Walnut is Minar Palace, which used to be on Sansom Street past 16th. The one that closed, where IHop is now, was A Passage to India -- a different restaurant altogether.
Of course we all feel for the people that lost their jobs. Though questions remain. What was Marathon's monthly rent and how long did it take to accrue the debt of $186K ? Why didn't they pay their rent ?- The lack of anything relevant in this article is maddening.— SilliBilli
- I ate at this place while visiting Philly over Thanksgiving and it was not good...and the service was worse...— soalivetoday
- They are related to Neil Stein. What do you expect?— Reprehensible
- no this is a simple case of childeren taking over a parents businesses and running it into the ground....this is the 3rd Marathon Location to close in 3 years ..(University City/Old City/and 13th and Chestnut)..... even the parents original partners (the Spain Family) dont't want to be in business with the children ....— genius1977
- I know why the place closed. It was truly awful! Non-payment of rent is just a secondary reason. No loss here, at all.
NEXT...maybe a really good place will take its place.— Chris Van Wyk - The Borish Family, not the Spains, are majority owners. I always found their lunches to be very good.— Fast Eddy
- If we're talking local chains, Iron Hill is easily the best, followed by Capogiro. Have a nice day!— hhkal
- Pay your bills once in awhile.— aguckin
- Starbucks killed it
- I have zero stake in this issue on either side, but I find it ridiculous that they would not let the patrons finish their meals. I have had to evict tenants in the past, and this eviction could (and should) have easily been executed a different way to obtain the same result.— Tartan69
- Aren't the owners of Marathon related to Neil Stein???? If this is true no more needs to be said.— Leapinliz
- Marathon was a big fish in a small pond for a very long time. However, over the years the competition in center city became too much to handle. I used to frequent the restaurant on a regular basis and liked its generous portion sizes and reasonable cost. Then over night they cut the plate size in half and the cost went up two to three dollars per plate.— Kcrul147
Comment removed.- I agree with Tartan69. No need to treat the paying public in such a shoddy manner. This is America, not Nazi Germany.— The Monk
- Godwin's law already??— BarryG
- I don't know about the other Marathon spots, but we ate there once and it the service was sooooo slow and the food only mediocre that I vowed never to set foot in that one again. Glad it's closed; hopefully, a new and better place will fill the void (and pay its rent).— cadguy
- high prices and bad food....I stopped eating there years ago— SpeakPhilly.com
- Bet Stevie Starr takes over the location and sells something overpriced and hogs up the sidewalk with tables.— phillytwo
This is the way things are going to go. Eating in center city is getting more expensive, and even Passyunk, Fairmount, and Northern Liberties are going more upscale. In the long run, it's better for the city, but eventually Center City is going to become unnaffordable for the average person, much like other major city centers.— Pelti- The system allowed these crooks to legally steal from the land lord. I hope he can recoup some of his money from the equipment in the building.— WCJRJR
- You could do what Shane Candy/Franklin Fountain is doing: as long as you pal around with city council people enrolled in the DROP program and run the local civic association like a clandestine kiddie club replete with meetings held at 8 a.m. on a Tuesday so the public cannot attend...well, the mayor will show up at all your ribbon cutting ceremonies! And Craig LeBan's staff will review everything you do ever so positively! And don't forget to file city license application objections whenever non-members of the local civic association try to expand their businesses! Entre nous, kids, that's how to succeed in Philadelphia's food industry.....Marathon, Schmarathon.....— Slim Customer
- Hey, Borish family used to be my landlords! Hmmm...— atibamanii
- Amazing how a landlord can not collect rent for this amount. Perhaps this landlord needs MYphillybillcollector dot com......His company can help the property owner recover some of this due monies..
Good luck to all those seeking employment.......happy holidays.— merchandiser - As a former vendor, they were notorious for no pay/slow pay. Then they would try to settle or pay pennies on the dollar.
Thieves and Cheats get what they deserve.— NozeBleed - — Fast Eddy ( please don't attempt to correct me if you don't know the facts)..yes i know the Borish family are the primary owners...however it was the Spain's who sold the Dollar Express chain for over $100 mm who financed the Borish family (the parents) and convinced them to actually move their little Burger Shop in the North East to Center City....ie they bankrolled the parents.....however the parents passed the business on to their children....and now the children are running it into the ground...they have been in a dispute with the Spain family for several years now...and now the Spains have completely cut ties with them and took back the old city location and are in the process of turning that into another restaurant..with a NAME chef.......— genius1977
- Sorry to hear that Marathon and the people are who worked there are losing their jobs. I ate there a few times for office events, but was never impressed with the food or the service.— LadySLR
- My father used to sell to them he said they are creeps
— ignorantphillydem - Comment removed.
- Unless The Apple Store starts selling sandwiches as a gimmick, don't expect too many lunch places to open up in Center City to feed the regular workers who can't afford $15 hamburgers, $10 cupcakes and pattie di foi gras on brioche flown in from Montreal. The Grille was a great lunch spot, a Gormet Magazine epiphany. Get over your selves yuppies, the bell will soon toll for you.— Fernando08
- Comment removed.
- Trendy, over priced place for people that don't want to think for themselves or dare to have some originality.— bushmciworlcomenron
- will the workers be paid their due?— Marchus
- The restaurant business is the toughest in the world. It is always sad to see a Philly institution like Horn and Hardarts, Lintons, Dewees, etc., bite the dust. But, such is life. I feel for the employees who always take the hit.
— BillyBob369 - Why is Chestnut spelled wrong so many times on the court paper? Morons..— CindyE
- you all do realize that "people" work at these restaurants? some of them with families and mortgages? and most people that blast "service" or "food" have NEVER worked in a restaurant or bar.— bingo
- Well big mouth. I've worked in many restaurants. That's life. It's not fair. Quit your bellyaching. People lose jobs all of the time. Blame the ownership and management for not performing properly and STFU. — bushmciworlcomenron
- ^ do you feel good now knowing you're a total d? — gmd09
- Are these the same people that paid off their parking tickets with food trays?— phillytwo
- This is the same Marathon who a few years ago was under fire for not turning over tips that patrons charged to credit cards. I think they may have been in violation of other labor laws also, relating to not paying overtime and hiring illegals. Another pillar of integrity in the business world.— farhorizons
- Have to agree with blunted1. Marathon's food is so-so and the service is even less impressive. Nothing to treasure about an unmemorable meal and a server that's the bored hipster version of a McDonald's drive thru jockey.— justsayin
The Ho Sai Gai which owns two restaurants in china town was recently evicted from the Port Richmond shopping center for owing $152,000.00 in back rent. They originally posted a sign saying they were closed for repair that said " We serve you rice in china town" Seemed like they did good business there. I can't see the rent being as high here as it was where the marathon grill was.— duh66- I am pretty sure that the restaurant that wasn't giving its credit card-charged tips to the servers was Blue, the Neil Stein place that used to be over by Rittenhouse Square. It was not Marathon Grill.
- Bye Bye Marathon. don't come back. your service was poor and slooooooow. Pay your rent next time.— Tyrone Biggums
- Marathon was all right, ok. Not awful, not good. That being said, posters here complaining about slow service probably have not worked as a waiter, or in the food industry, and as a result, they have 0 sympathy for people. Yeah, sometimes you have to wait if it's busy. Yep. I know life is hard. Obviously the police could have done this differently, but as usual they wanted to make it dramatic and show their power. Doesn't that disturb you?— corporatehuman
- Someone else will take over that location in seconds.— Northeaster
- you people are so rude, i was an employee there and maybe it wasnt perfect all of the time, but ive worked incredibly hard there and i know the rest of the staff there had as well. Is anyone thinking about the fact that the only people you're offending are people like ME who tried incredibly hard to give good, service, or how about the cooks in the kitchen who are now out of a job and all you rude inconsiderate people do is rag on how bad there cooking was. how about you have a soul and realize that things you say hurt people and it is so unnecessary and offensive to everyone i worked with. now when you go to work tomorrow to make money to pay for christmas presents for your friends in family, think about all of the "bad servers" and "terrible cooks" that wont be able to get new jobs to pay rent because people like you sit there and complain to the world about how terrible they are.— gmd09
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Michael Klein, the editor/producer of philly.com/Food, writes about the local restaurant scene in his Inquirer column "Table Talk." Have a question? Email it! See his Inquirer work here.
Reach Michael at mklein@philly.com.
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Philly.com
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