Less Than Six Months In, OON is Done

OON, Matt Eversman's "out of nowhere" restaurant, is closing after service tonight. Slow business, a delayed opening, and competition from other restaurants combined to bring on money issues; OON had trouble paying employees, evident by a former social media representative's lawsuit for $4151.93 in back pay. Their website was even shut down about a week ago.

"We're a small restaurant," Eversman says, "and there's so many restaurants opening every day and it's hard to stand out."

But one shouldn't blame the location for the slow business. The space, in a prime location on Randolph Row between Au Cheval and Lone Wolf, and on the same block as Little Goat, won't be empty long, according to Eversman.

"We were recently approached with an offer to purchase the business and we had to take advantage of that," Eversman says. He declined to specify who made the offer, but rumors are flying.

Eversman and team took a year and a half to open OON, and although it was busy in the beginning, warning signs appeared soon after. Rough reviews appeared. Beverage director and GM Jon McDaniel exited in October, leaving Eversman to take on front of the house responsibilities.

"For me, with such a dynamic team, it was unfortunate that team wasn't marketed and embraced," McDaniel, now at The Gage and Henri, says. "Lack of capital and lack of quality marketing is death for any concept."
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