Business & Tech

Summons for Omega: Next Court Date Oct. 15

Owners of the restaurant and building did not appear in court earlier this week.

A summons ordering Omega Restaurant owner James Stavropoulos and building owner George Andrews to court Oct. 15 has been served after the two men failed to appear Monday in DuPage County Court for a hearing about Downers Grove ordinance violations.

Village spokesman Doug Kozlowski said the restaurant owner could face fines anywhere from $75 to $750, depending how a DuPage County Circuit Court judge rules.

The restaurant, 1300 Ogden, has been closed since mid-July after it lost water and electricity service.

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The village turned off water service July 17 after Omega failed to pay its water bill. A shutoff occurs after a business misses several payment deadlines, Village Communication Director Doug Kozlowski said.

Stavropoulos said he was notified about an outstanding $8,500 water bill on May 11 that was the responsibility of a previous corporation and not his JJS Restaurant, Inc.

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He said he ultimately paid the bill only to be told on July 17 he had to pay another $6,000 for an outstanding bill dating back to 2007. Stavropoulos said he had seen neither bill before and that his usual water bill is roughly $1,000 a month.

On July 18, ComEd shut off electricity again — for the third time.

Stavropoulos filed a lawsuit against ComEd on July 6 alleging ComEd was at fault for "breach of contract" by "violating the provisions of the Illinois Public Utilities Act and the rules and regulations of the Illinois Commerce Commission" according to the filing.

The restaurant has had a series of problems involving utility shut-offs, unpaid utility bills, employees claiming they have not been paid and village code violations. Problems escalated when ComEd shut Omega’s electricity in May for not paying a bill that was close to $50,000. After losing electricity, Stavropoulos used a diesel generator to restore power for several days, a violation of village code. He was cited with half a dozen violations.

Check out Patch’s Omega coverage:


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