Over the past 7 months, I have been dealing with some difficult business situations. Until the past week or so, I thought all my efforts were paying off, and things were going to work out. Not exactly fine, but manageable in the short term and workable in the long term. In the past few days, things have imploded.
The crux of the issue is some IRS payments that I didn’t make in 2018. We had really slow business at the beginning of the year, the IRS is slow to react, I thought business would pick up, and I chose to pay my employees first, vendors second, Landlord and Bank third, and IRS last. Business didn’t pick up fast enough, and not enough when it did. Interest and penalties more than doubled the original amount.
I have been in what I thought were negotiations with the IRS. I have learned that the IRS agent assigned to ConVino is known for taking pleasure in shutting down small businesses, and no matter what we have discussed, he has not agreed to any of the proposals of payment plans I have offered. He has seized every penny in the ConVino account twice.
The actions he has taken, especially over the last 3 months, have alerted the bank that holds the loan, and they are now calling in the loan. The IRS situation caused Thornes to withdraw the lease renewal option, which would have renewed October 1st, but because of the IRS taking all our money at the beginning of 2 different months, causing us to bounce rent twice in a row and not being able to make it up. I don't really blame them. We are in some significant arrears with them now, and the IRS is nearly at the door.
I am devastated to say this, but there is nothing more I can do to save ConVino.
With all my heart, I want to thank all of you for being such great customers. Those who come right when we open and drink beer, those who come every Thursday after work and drink orange wine, the patio Spritzers with their dogs, the many couples that have made ConVino their "date night" spot, the ConVino first dates that are married now, the ones that know that herbed crisps are always available even though they're not on the menu, and all the regulars and not so regulars that made our job enjoyable.
We hope to see you in the next 8 days!
We hope to see you in the next 8 days!
With sadness and gratitude,
Caroline