Fat Tuesday closes abruptly


By Jessica Lee
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Monday, March 8, 2004

Fat Tuesday on East University Boulevard unexpectedly closed down last week.

Signs taped to windows around the building indicated some details about the closure.

Part of the sign read that Geronimoz Inc. had "exercised legal rights to re-enter and take possession of those premises."

The sign stated that Geronimoz retook possession because Fat Tuesday had defaulted on its sublease.

Geronimoz leased the bar to Fat Tuesday, and the Marshall Foundation owns the property.

The exact time of the closure is unknown, but members of the Hillel Foundation, who had planned to throw a Thursday night party at Fat Tuesday for the Purim holiday, received a call Wednesday night from manager Ryan Gains, who said the bar was shut down.

Hillel had less than 24 hours to relocate the party.

"After calling various locations, the management at Belushe's were very willing to accommodate us at the last minute. They were very generous," said Aaron Bratt of the Jewish Campus Service Corps.

Bratt could not disclose the reason Fat Tuesday unexpectedly closed, but stressed that Fat Tuesday's management was not to blame for the closure.

"The people at Fat Tuesday are good people. They worked with us to plan an event. The management did not screw us over," Bratt said.

Gains said he was unable to comment on the closure due to legal issues.

Ron Yaeli of Geronimoz, who was listed as a contact on the sign, was unavailable for comment.

Jerome Stewart, the owner of Fat Tuesday, said he did not have time to comment.

"It is very complicated. I am busy. Call me back in a month," Stewart said.

Jon Mayo, a nutritional sciences research specialist, was disappointed by the closure.

"I usually stop in on Friday afternoon to have a drink. This is the time of day it is quiet and dead compared to Frog and Firkin and Gentle Ben's," Mayo said. "That's why I liked it."

Just two weeks before its closure, long lines of students waited to enter Fat Tuesday for a Mardi Gras party.

Fat Tuesday is also usually packed every Tuesday night for $1 Corona night.