BOCA RATON — Dirty Moe’s Oyster Boat Inc., the company run by former Mayor Emil Danciu and his family, filed for protection from its creditors last week in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in West Palm Beach.
Danciu said that the family, which owns and operates four Dirty Moe’s restaurants, decided to file the petition last week because of legal problems with the owners of Spanish River Plaza. The Dirty Moe’s in Boca Raton is in the shopping center.
“We have minimal debt. We call it debt, but it is really disputed dollar values that can be resolved simply,” Danciu said. “The overriding concern is the litigation and the cost of litigation.”
The owners of the shopping center, East Boca Plaza Associates, say that Dirty Moe’s owes them nearly $20,000. New West Federal Savings and Loan Association, the former owner of the shopping center, sued Danciu in January claiming it was owed about $15,000 in back rent.
“We got in a problem with one store, but cash flow is good, the clientele is great and it’s a very good family operation,” Danciu said.
The family also has restaurants in Deerfield Beach, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. It plans to open a fifth restaurant in Plantation, Danciu said.
