Judge to decide yearlong fight between bar, builder

Listen to this article

A Milwaukee contractor, after a yearlong legal fight with a sports bar, is asking a judge to make the last call.

Hickorybridge Construction LLC sued One Sports Lounge LLC, Milwaukee, and the owner of the bar’s building in March 2012. Eric Stelske, Hickorybridge’s owner, claimed his company is owed at least $38,161.37 for renovations at the bar, which is at 1007 N. Old World Third St., Milwaukee.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge John Siefert in May granted default judgment against One Sports Lounge after the bar failed to respond to the lawsuit.

But Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Daniel Noonan reopened the case in August after the bar claimed its response had been lost in the mail. Noonan cancelled the default judgment.

Since then, the bar has not responded to Hickorybridge’s requests for information, according to a brief filed by Christopher Nyenhuis, of Milwaukee-based Michael Best & Friedrich LLP and attorney for Hickorybridge. The bar did not appear at a deposition, according to the brief, and has not replaced its attorney, who withdrew in November.

“Simply put,” according to the brief, “One Sports has shown no interest in this case.”

So Hickorybridge has filed for summary judgment. A hearing is set for April 17.

According to Nyenhuis’ brief, the bar, by not responding to the contractor’s requests for information, implied agreement by not disputing the facts of the case.

One Sports Lounge hired Hickorybridge on a time-and-material basis in July 2010, according to Stelske’s affidavit. Those renovations included electrical and plumbing work, painting, installing a hardwood floor and building out the bar. The project’s full cost was $50,671.37, according to the affidavit, but the bar paid only $12,510.

Eric Mahoney, One Sports Lounge’s owner, has claimed Stelske was to be a partner in the bar business, which meant Hickorybridge’s work on the bar was an investment. That claim is laid out in a letter addressed to Siefert.

Stelske has denied those claims.

— Follow Beth on Twitter