UPTOWNflavor

Last week we wrote about the closing of Baton Rouge, the sister restaurant to MoBay.  Today, Crain’s has reported that MoBay could also be in danger of shuttering their doors.  The beloved 125th Street destination has filed for Chapter 11 with the hope of reorganizing the business.

MoBay has always done brisk business and received rave reviews.  The liability seemed to be with Baton Rouge.  The location of Baton Rouge didn’t receive the same foot traffic as MoBay and the food was inconsistent at best.  Perhaps filing Chapter 11 will give them a chance to regroup and hold on during the impending recession. The business is currently deep in the red with “$15,000 in assets and about $700,000 in liabilities.”

The owners noticed a major slowdown in August and blame the “young folks in Harlem.”  They saw the biggest drop off in business in September when the Wall Streeters got laid off.  Sheron Barnes, the co-owner of MoBay is making a number of changes:

She has shortened her labor hours, cutting staff wherever possible. For example, MoBay’s bartender only comes in for dinner service now. Ms. Barnes also plans to launch a new take-out menu that will feature “recession specials,” such as $2 chicken and other cafeteria-style dinners. She is even scolding staffers for leaving too many lights on or eating expensive food for family meals. “I’m running this place like a boot camp,” she said.