ST. LOUIS — A lawsuit has been filed seeking possession for part of the Atomic Cowboy property in the Grove.
The move follows reported auctions of the bar's items in March, along with speculation from neighborhood stakeholders that the business had closed amid the pandemic.
Pete Rothschild's Red Brick Management, a major landlord and rental manager in St. Louis, earlier this month sued Neo Atomic LLC and Melvin Schloss in St. Louis Circuit Court, alleging they haven't paid nearly $182,000 in rent through Sept. 7. Their lease stipulated monthly rent of $3,500, according to the lawsuit. It seeks a judgment for the back rent, plus possession of the Atomic Cowboy property, 4144 Manchester Ave., which housed the Bootleg concert venue that opened in 2015.
An entity tied to Red Brick owns that property. Another company, Elysian Grove LLC, owns 4140 Manchester, which housed Atomic Cowboy's main restaurant and bar.
Atomic Cowboy owner Chip Schloss couldn't be reached for comment. It wasn't clear if Melvin Schloss is the same person.
Red Brick and its attorney, Katharyn Davis, declined to comment.
Atomic Cowboy has never announced a permanent closure, last saying in November 2020 that it would be closed that winter and reopen in the spring, which never occurred. It was long a mainstay restaurant, nightclub and concert destination in the entertainment district, having opened in 2005.
Neo Atomic has been targeted in other recent legal actions.
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