Bankruptcy Docket Beat: Philadelphia’s Mike’s Open Face Breakfast Files for Chapter 11

On April 23, 2013, Debtor Mike’s Open Face Breakfast, Inc. of 107 W. Chelten Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144 filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia), Case No. 13-13583-elf.  Debtor’s counsel is Hae Yeon Baik, of Baik & Associates, PC, 2333 Fairmount Avenue,1^st Floor Left, Philadelphia, PA 19130.  The case has been assigned to Honorable Chief Judge Eric L. Frank.  The Debtor’s assets are  less than $50,000 and the liabilities are less than $50,000.   The Debtor has yet to file a full set of schedules and a statement of financial affairs.  The Debtor will have 15 days from the Petition Date in which to do so, unless the Debtor’s counsel seeks and extension of such a deadline.

A summary of the docket for this Chapter 11 can be viewed here.

Mike’s Open Face Breakfast operates as a breakfast and lunch spot in the Germantown area of Philadelphia, just outside of one of my old stomping grounds Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania (got my first post-law school apartment there).

Notably, Mike’s Open Face Breakfast filed as a “small business debtor case” filed by a “small business debtor”.  Pursuant to Bankruptcy Code 101, in order to be a “small business debtor”, a debtor must have aggregate noncontingent liquidated, secured and unsecured debts as of the date of the petition in an amount not more than $2,190,000 (excluding debts owed to 1 or more affiliates or insiders). 11 U.S.C. ss 101(51D).  The debtor must be engaged in commercial or business activities (other than primarily owning or operating real property).  Also, the case must be one in which a U.S. trustee has not appointed a creditors’ committee, or the court has determined that the creditors’ committee is insufficiently active and representative to provide oversight of the debtor.  11 U.S.C. ss 101(51D).

What is the impact of the “small business debtor case” designation?  The most obvious benefit is that typically the case proceeds more quickly, but at that same time the debtor is subjected to more U.S. trustee oversight and is required to comply with more procedural filing requirements.  For a great article re: “small business debtor cases”,  click here.