El Agave manager leaves town with cash

Mexican restaurant El Agave Azul is struggling after the former restaurant manager stole more than $400 dollars from the cash register and left town about a month ago.

The manager, who went by the fake name Ernesto Hernandez, left the restaurant with back taxes, overdue rent and without a liquor license. In the aftermath, the owner and employees are trying to keep the restaurant afloat.

Owner Efrain Garcia said he was blind sided by the manager's disappearance. He said he only learned the restaurant was behind on rent and taxes after Hernandez left because Hernandez handled the restaurant's finances.

Garcia said he learned Ernesto Hernandez is not the manager's real name, but he did not know his real name as of Monday.

Hernandez was a good manager is some ways, Garcia said.

He brought in more business and people liked him, so it was a shock when Garcia learned he was mismanaging the restaurant's finances.

Garcia said he is working with the landlord, vendors and the government to catch up on payments. He said he hasn't filed a police report because he is talking with his lawyer to decide the plan of action.

Employee Chanel Thyson took on most of the managerial responsibilities after Hernandez's departure.

Thyson graduated from Truman last December and started working as a cashier at El Agave Azul two weeks before Hernandez left. She now does most of the banking, orders food and dry goods, hires workers and contacts vendors that service the restaurants machines, she said.

Thyson and Garcia said they do not know where Hernandez went, but guessed he went to Columbia, Mo., where his ex-wife and two daughters live.

Garcia said Hernandez might have plans to open a new restaurant.

"I know he wanted to open a restaurant somewhere in Missouri, so he's probably using my money," he said.  

Because it is behind on taxes, the restaurant could not renew its liquor license with the city by the June deadlines.

The city requires a "no taxes due" statement that proves a business does not owe money to the state before renewing a liquor license, said Beth Meline, the city's business license clerk. Until it renews the license, it cannot sell alcoholic drinks.

Meline said she spoke with a restaurant employee a few days before the licensing deadline to remind them to file their paperwork. She said she had the impression that they would submit the forms in time to meet the deadline. The renewal date passed without the necessary forms filed with the city, she said.

El Agave Azul can apply for a license renewal after they pay the taxes they owe to the state, Meline said.

Thyson said the absence of alcoholic drinks has hurt business somewhat. She said a few groups of people left after they learned that margaritas temporarily are off the menu.