Updated Thursday, September 17th at 8:30 a.m.
Bobby Hodges, owner of the Mayflower Seafood Restaurant in Elizabethton Tenn., told 11 Connects his restaurant has nothing to do with the Mayflower Express in Johnson City Tenn.
"We have zero to do with that place," Hodges said. "There are no ties between the stores."
Hodges said his restaurant has been fielding angry phone calls from people mistaking his restaurant for the Mayflower Express (see below).
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Johnson City, Tenn. -- In July, a new restaurant dubbed "Mayflower Express" opened on the Bristol Highway.
Chris Ramsey was "the numbers guy." He handled the paperwork, talked to accountants, and managed the floor at Mayflower Express. He said the Mayflower is a sinking ship.
"[Owner Ilias "Louie" Hatzikostopoulos] goes $16,000 in debt a month," Ramsey said. "Payroll is owed for six weeks. He owes employees a total up to $12,000," he said.
"It's been a real bad damn problem," said cook and delivery driver Jason Arrington. "I've got several loans that I've had to take out, just to support myself and my family."
Breanne Honeycutt helped open the restaurant. She said Hatzikostopoulos owes her $1,400. He fired her at least three times since July -- only to hire her back.
"[I kept working for him because] I had faith. He kept telling us he would pay us," she said.
Hatzikostopoulos declined an interview Sunday.
Restaurant Manager Diane Hodges told 11 Connects he has been fielding roughly 10 threats a day from current and former employees. They stole supplies and money, vandalized the building, and threatened to burn Hatzikostopoulos' house down, she said.
"One of them held a gun to Louie's head last Thursday night, and that's why he doesn't want to talk about it," Hodges said. "He would probably break down."
Hodges conceded, her boss owes employees money, but she blamed the restaurant credit card machine.
"Somehow, instead of going into the owner's bank account, it's floating somewhere," she said.
Arrington said employees complained to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the Better Business Bureau. They plan to file a civil suit in Washington County Court this week.
A local food distributor who preferred to remain anonymous said Mayflower Express owes them nearly $3,000. They delivered food, Mayflower's check bounced, so they cut the restaurant off.
Click the play icon above for a video version of this report.
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