Phone: (+1)7658969390
Address: 1501 W Kilgore Ave, 47304, Muncie, US, United States
City: Muncie
Menu Dishes: 35
Reviews: 1578
"I find the whole situation quite amusing. It's clear that the previous owners were just looking to make a quick buck and run, leaving behind a mess for someone less experienced. If they had allowed us to take over, the restaurant wouldn’t be closing now. It turns out they didn’t even own the building they claimed they were selling to us. This whole scenario shows a blatant disregard for both the restaurant and the staff. What does anyone have now? It seems they made a choice driven by greed rather than a genuine commitment to the establishment or its employees. I can’t believe the audacity of the former owner who tried to tell me he owned the rights to Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Give me a break! You can’t own a shape, buddy. And the way he addressed me over the phone? If you ever want to settle things in person, I'm just a call away, Danny boy. For context, my wife and I were in the process of taking over Osteria32 from Dan and Summer. We had committed to a 30-day transition period, but on the very last day, Dan suddenly flipped out and backed out of the deal after we had quit our jobs and invested time and money we couldn’t afford to lose. Just a couple of weeks earlier, we had all agreed to close for a few days just before New Year's to reopen under our management. Yet, on that final day, while we were working out those last-minute details, he called and asked why we were closed. I reminded him it was part of our agreement, to which he responded in disbelief, claiming I was costing him money by closing during the storm. We had been repeatedly told to make our own decisions since the restaurant was supposed to be ours! It was baffling and frustrating. He spoke to me as if I were just an employee, rather than someone about to run my own business. I doubt he would have spoken that way to my face. I should have picked up on his ego during our conversations, especially with how he constantly boasted about himself. I can only imagine how exhausting it must be for his wife to deal with him daily; she deserves so much better. Interestingly, the staff preferred our food, and given my 25 years of experience in the culinary world, including managing restaurants for some of the best chefs globally and successfully turning around two failing establishments, it’s clear we know what we’re doing. Dan may have thought he could just walk away without consequences, but it reveals exactly who he is. He never gave us the chance to showcase what we could do, despite claiming he wanted to support us. When you buy a business, the previous owner has no right to dictate how you run it. Dan led us on, had us quit our jobs, and even agreed to the closing and reopening plan that came right after my wife and I expressed our enthusiasm. It's disheartening to think he might have to face his relatives or spouse knowing they aren't good people and are responsible for ruining others' dreams. To tease us with our lifelong dream for 29 days only to withdraw at the last minute, citing ridiculous excuses, is simply cruel. We had been putting in long hours, working early and staying late, when he expected us to transition seamlessly without the proper groundwork—a product list, inventory, menus, permits, licensing, vendor contacts, staffing, business plans—the essentials! It’s a lot to accomplish in just a couple of weeks; it’s completely unrealistic. I have all our correspondence documented for anyone questioning the truth of what I’m saying. Best of luck to them; I genuinely hope they find the peace they seek, as we continue to pursue our dreams elsewhere."
All prices are estimates on menu.