Last Thursday, Ed Bailey, majority owner of The Chesterfield, called the police and attempted to have one of his minority owners, Eddie “Lucky” Campbell, removed from the premises. The operation failed.
According to Campbell, Gary Van Gundy, president of Edward C. Bailey Enterprises, showed up with an attorney a little before 3PM today and the police were asked to have Campbell removed. “Yes, they’re here right now,” said Campbell from his cell phone. “They are trying to have me removed from the property.” Campbell showed the officers the lease which is in Campbell’s name. “They tried to say I was trespassing,” Campbell said. “But I’m not.”
Bailey and Campbell are locked in a bitter battle over how to operate the Chesterfield. Both teams are lawyered up and won’t get into specifics. Bailey owns 51% of the business but his name is not on the lease agreement. “Look, I’m here right now and I’m starting a huge all-night happy hour starting at 5:30 today. I am reinstating the staff that Bailey fired and those who walked out in disgust,” Campbell said. “These people have kids and need to work. Our disagreement is a private matter about business and I want to get it resolved.”
I asked him how he planned to run a business with an unhappy partner. “It’s difficult,” Campbell said. “I’m not a lawyer. Ed and I disagree on how to run this business. As far as I’m concerned, I’m still operating The Chesterfield.”
