Business & Tech

Bidding to Buy Upper Crust Pizzerias: Ex-Workers — and Their Attorney

Reported to be among the bidders at tomorrow's auction for the bankrupt pizza places: both ex-workers (and their lawyer) and ex-managers.

The attorney representing ex-employees in a class-action lawsuit is among the bidders at tomorrow's auction for 10 Upper Crust locations.

The pizza chain went under in October, with, says the Boston Herald, debt of $3-4 million.

The Herald writes:

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The company sought bankruptcy protection after it defaulted on bank loans, the U.S. Labor Department forced it to pay $342,000 in back wages to 121 employees, and several lawsuits were filed against it.

Some of those same employees, along with their lawyer, are among bidders for the bankrupt company, according to the Boston Globe.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The Globe quotes attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan, who represents workers in their suit, as saying:

The plan is for employees to have ownership shares, and we are very excited about this.

The Globe also writes that Liss-Riordan admits it is unusual for an attorney to partner with clients and go into business to buy a firm against which a lawsuit has been filed, but she apparently sees no conflict in the proposition.

The Globe reports that, separately, two ex-Upper Crust managers also are bidding.

Upper Crust got into deep financial waters after expanding possibly too quickly, and, according to the Globe, paying out executives a month's salary in advance, which left the company with no money to operate.

Upper Crust pizzerias in Brookline and on Beacon Hill are said to remain open, along with four in Plymouth, West Roxbury, Newburyport and Portsmouth, N.H.

The stores in Wellesley, Watertown and Lexington, among others. are closed.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here