ST. THOMAS — The former managers of Tickles Dockside Pub have filed a lawsuit accusing the restaurant’s owner of concealing debts and misrepresenting the business as a profitable, turn-key operation to lure them into a management agreement.
In a complaint filed earlier this month, Tickles Ventures, LLC, along with Travis and Tara Townsley, claim that Louis “Lou” Morrissette approached them in 2021 and touted Tickles Dockside Pub, which closed in November 2024, as a historically profitable operation that he was no longer able to manage due to health issues. Morrisette allegedly assured them the restaurant was financially sound, fully licensed, and free of hidden liabilities.
The Plaintiffs say that with these assurances they entered into a management agreement with Tickles Dockside Pub in August 2021, agreeing to pay Morrisette a $5,000 monthly consulting fee.
However, after assuming management, the Plaintiffs say they discovered Tickles Dockside Pub was a “financial minefield,” with more than $250,000 in unpaid IRS withholding taxes Morrisette allegedly concealed through fraudulent journal entries and undisclosed IRS notices.
They also claim Morrisette failed to disclose major equipment failures and dangerous electrical wiring, as well as the “low employee morale due to the restaurant’s poor reputation on island.”
Despite attempts to stabilize the business over a period of three years, the Plaintiffs claim they continued to suffer losses due to Morrissette’s misrepresentations and interference, ultimately having no choice but to terminate their management of the restaurant in August of 2024.
Morrissette allegedly responded by initiating arbitration proceedings, but the complaint says he later refused to participate, insisting he was not bound by the arbitration clause in the contract.
When contacted by WTJX, Morisette said he had been served but declined to comment further on the active litigation.
The lawsuit outlines claims of fraudulent inducement, breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing, and unjust enrichment. The Plaintiffs are seeking damages, restitution of funds paid to Morrissette, and punitive damages, along with attorneys’ fees and costs.
