Lindy Reilly of the downtown burger joint Lindy’s on Fourth has parted ways with the owners of what used to be called Lindy’s at Redline Sports Grill and is suing to retain intellectual-property rights to the food he created there

Reilly teamed up with Luke Cusack and several other parties to open Lindy’s at Redline Sports Grill at 445 W. Wetmore Road in early 2011. He says things went well for the first few months, but that his business relationship with Cusack has been deteriorating ever since.

Reilly says he got a lawyer about two weeks ago in an attempt to enforce an intellectual-property contract that covered his image and the wildly creative burgers he creates, both of which were thrust into the national spotlight after Lindy’s on Fourth was featured in an episode of popular television show Man V. Food.

He’s also looking into getting an injunction to halt the owners of what is now known as Redline Sports Grill from releasing their new menu in the coming days because some items bear a striking resemblance to items Reilly creates.

“I’ve never dealt with anything like this. I’m beside myself,” said Reilly, taking a break from a kitchen shift at Lindy’s on Fourth, in which he is still a partner. “My food has been turning a profit there since last June, and he pretty much told me to go fuck myself, refused to pay me … and stole $14,000 worth of equipment.”

The “Lindy’s” name has been removed from the exterior signage, but is still found in several places on the online menu and website.

Luke Cusack, who co-owns Redline Sports Grill and the adjoined RPM Nightclub, has not responded to several messages left for him at the restaurant over the last week. Cusack was also a partner in A Steak in the Neighborhood, which closed last year.

This article appears in Apr 19-25, 2012.

44 replies on “Lindy Reilly Is Suing The Owner of Redline Sports Grill”

  3. Redline responds:

    As it has been said, “a lie will fly around the whole world while the truth is getting its boots on.” At no time did I make the statement Lindy has attributed to me. Our side of the story has not been heard. While Lindy may have his opinion, there are over twenty of us working here at Redline who know the truth and the other side of the story. Redline had a licensing agreement with Lindy for which he picked up a check every month. On short notice, Lindy wanted to terminate his licensing agreement and we have moved as expeditiously as possible to comply with an amicable parting of the ways. We doubt Lindy has a patent on macaroni and cheese or waffles. In just a few days sampling items off of our new menu, our customers have given high praise. Due to the hard work of all those at Redline, we have received three “Excellent” ratings in a row for Food Safety and Sanitation from the Pima County Health Department. The Redline staff and I welcome the opportunity to speak with Adam Borowitz, we’ll even send a cell phone with a direct line to the Redline lair…

  7. We have a list of vendors and equipment suppliers, including the general contracror and electrical contractor that have not been paid by Luke Cusack. Adam, I will be happy to submit them to you as proof, on record of what Lindy has said.

    I also have a list of employees that have been put in compromising situations with Luke and the way he handles company funds behind his partners backs.

  8. Adam and Concerned Patrons,

    I am positive that this is why he was forced out of his down town control of two now very prosperouse clubs, Zenrock and Sapphire. When Luke was involved they were behind in paying all their bills including utilities. Now that Luke has not been involved, they pay all bills on time and have money to put back in the Company, Community, and Congress Street!

    From this, I would have to believe Lindy, as Luke is and has been the problem elsewhere as well. To the point, “a track record is proof in its self”

    I am not one to gossip or slander, but Luke Cusack needs to learn that there are consequences when people, workers, contractors, vendors, and whom else has been swindled by him.

  9. Anyone with any information about Cusack’s business practices including hiring and firing and dealing with employees is encouraged to email informer@realemail.net. Anything shared will be kept confidential. Current and past business partners, Nick and Reginald please share what you know.

  10. Ok, I have been looking into this, they can’t even afford to keep their websites up and running. See for yourselfs. The registration is ok but the domain hosting has expired.

    http://www.redlinesportsgrill.com and http://www.rpmnightclub.com

    WHOIS Information
    Registrant
    Domains By Proxy, LLC
    (480) 624-2599 Phone
    (480) 624-2598 Fax
    DomainsByProxy.com
    15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
    United States
    redlinesportsgrill.com@domainsbyproxy….
    Administrative Contact
    Registration Private
    Domains By Proxy, LLC
    (480) 624-2599 Phone
    (480) 624-2598 Fax
    DomainsByProxy.com
    15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
    United States
    redlinesportsgrill.com@domainsbyproxy….
    Technical Contact
    Registration Private
    Domains By Proxy, LLC
    (480) 624-2599 Phone
    (480) 624-2598 Fax
    DomainsByProxy.com
    15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
    Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
    United States
    redlinesportsgrill.com@domainsbyproxy….
    Registered Through
    GoDaddy.com, LLC
    Domain Name: redlinesportsgrill.com
    Created on: 1/24/2011 11:37:00 PM
    Expires on: 1/24/2013 11:37:00 PM
    Last Updated on: 2/27/2012 1:01:20 AM
    Domain Servers
    NS29.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
    NS30.DOMAINCONTROL.COM

  11. I personally have seen Luke Cusack screw many people out of money. I have been on the receiving end of his dishonesty. I have never seen him stick to a deal he makes. He always somehow figures out a way to weasel another dollar out of peoples pockets. I’m not positive, but its public record and can be looked at very easily… but i believe he has been in approximately 30 lawsuits so far. Someone find me an ex partner of Luke Cusack that is happy with him and I will kiss your butt. Also, find someone that has done work for Luke and was paid properly. I think he goes to bed at night with a smile on his face because he was able to screw someone else over. What about the poor guy that painted Redline for him. Luke kept promising him that he would pay him and the guy worked for over a month without getting his full payout which in turn caused him to lose his house? Too bad he doesnt have the money to sue Luke.

  12. As a friend of Lindy I know he deals fairly in business and personally. As a member of the Tucson food/nightlife industry I can only speak from hearsay, but the comments made above about Luke are very consistent with everything I have ever heard.

    I wish Lindy luck with his litigation.

  13. All I know is that Redline has some of the worst service in town. Both times I went there the waitresses could care less if I got more water or beer or my food…

  14. Luke Cusack has not paid me for my services on the Redline and RPM Sports Bar.

    I painted the murals and all the artistic renderings and wall finishes (except for the racing scene mural in the left-side bar).

    Luke Cusack has only paid me less than half after over a year has gone by. Getting what I did from him was hard enough. Now, this guy flat out refuses to pay me the $2500 plus that he owes me.

    I also have been informed by someone who has direct knowledge, that Mr. Cusack has lost the businesses in the Congress area because he was caught having embezzled around 200 thousand dollars from his partners. To avoid being sued, he offered to sell to his partners and bow out.

    People looking to go into business with Luke, should take heed to what is being written all over the web about him.

    It’s all true.

  15. I forgot to add that I spent 3 months working on the painting of that place.

    And yes… I lost my truck while working there, due to Luke not paying me, so I couldn’t keep up with my truck payments. I was already having trouble with my house payments, but if Luke had done his part of our deal, I would have been able to save my home.

    Luke has a very big mansion I’m told.
    When is the IRS or a judge gonna take that away from him? He needs to be reduced down to asking you if you, “Need fries with that?” in a Micky Dees drive-thru window.

  16. Luke and his businesses are a bunch of bullshit. Lack luster really. You know, he can go and screw people over on a daily basis. Its just great to see what he gives out is getting back to him. It makes me giggle. They should liquidate his ‘mansion’ he has, and pay off all the people he still owes money to. As being a great friend of Lindy, i wish him the best with his litigation and cant wait to see Luke get stuck with what he deserves. Hes just a low life, 70s pornstar lookin, piece of shit. Go rot.

  17. Hmmm. I will say this…Karma has a funny way of executing things that each of his ex-employees were hoping they would be around to see. I am not sure I speak for all of us, but I busted my ass for that place and was underpayed and overworked. There were a lot of us who truly believed in that place, but when we got too smart or challenged authority we were let go for reasons that have still not been explained. Lindy is a phenomenal man and I know that because of all he does for our community he will get what is rightfully his and everyone backing him will celebrate when he does. I hate to say this, but I loved that establishment and wish it had been run and taken care of with honesty and professionalism. Maybe if the owners who had the best interest of the establishment in mind, instead of their own greed, were not walked all over things would be different. Best of luck, Lindy, Tucson is behind you every step of the way.

  18. For people seeking information, i am also a former employee of redline/rpm, and support lindy all the way because we know just how slimy luke really is. Just a bit of info: all employees were forced to write reviews online pretending we were customers to give the company good reviews as required by luke and enforced by the managers he put in charge. Those of us who refused were told we couldn’t clock out til we showed proof that we did as we were told by making an account using their laptop. I also heard that for the month of december in 2011, brooke, lukes girlfriend, “office manager” did not properly do the taxes so all employees who received our w2s for 2011 had mistakes on them. I heard an amended return was on its way but it never came. Employees were being forced to keep their time slips because our checks were beginning to miss money and we needed to constantly dispute them. There is a lot more, and I will be happy to disclose all information.

  19. “Due to the hard work of all those at Redline, we have received three “Excellent” ratings in a row for Food Safety and Sanitation from the Pima County Health Department.”
    Is cleanliness now supposed to be “high-fived” or patted on the back? One should probably also be worried about service, happiness of staff and feedback of customers. I see old regulars at other bars who will not go back to Redline based on the decline in quality and service. I’m glad that the Pima County Health Department is happy with the establishment. However, I am almost certain that they don’t pay the bills. There is one thing I am sure of, the will be much larger, more vicious fish to appease than the Health Department.

  20. I am another previous employee of redline and rpm. I have personally sat and talked with lindy on how unfairly we were both treated as well as others involved in the business. On multiple occasions employees have tried to cash paychecks and were unable to due to lack of funds. They have not been able to keep a second manager around and overworking and abusing the one that has been nothing but loyal to them. Luke calls him at all hours of the day to do work for the company whether its his day off or not. His wages definitely do not reflect the amount of work their extremely hard working manager puts into the business. Not only does Luke abuse his powers as owner and not pay people correctly like many have said he fires people for no reason with no warning. Whether it was because you were excused for being late due to Uncontrollable circumstances on one occasion, something that has to deal with your sex life outside of work, improper staffing forcing servers to be too busy to give the best service possible with no help, or being accused of poor service by a “made up” secret shopper report multiple employees have been let go at the end of their shift when Luke didn’t need them to finish out that shift. Convenient. I have heard from previous partners of Cusaks that he is the worst partner to have in business and they regret ever going into business with him in the past. I am happy to see that karma is coming around to bite him in the ass. I hope anyone planning in going into business with this man thinks twice before making the biggest mistake of their life and business career!

  22. Glad everyone is finally getting the picture about that guy… He ripped a lot of people off in this town.. Hope he loses everything.. Anyone he owes should join in with lindy and really nail this guy.. Oh and don’t settle out of court, he’s been able to do this so long because most people settle for a fraction of what they are owed.. Go all the way lindy!!!! Funny how Luke is always claiming he got ripped off by someone when he’s the biggest thief I’ve ever met… Dingas McGee…

  23. People have been fired from that establishment for all sorts of amazing reasons…I know that managers were asked to fire people based on their “body type.” I have also heard the rumor about employees who were fired based on a relationship with people who did not even work at the bar. The unprofessionalism of the establishment is amazing. The managers ARE overworked and underpayed. They are BEYOND lucky to still have the one manager they have that is loyal to them. They have managed to burn bridges with nearly all who believed and busted their asses for them. Impressive.

  24. As another former employee of Redline I can corroborate that statements made by other former employees, we were definitely told to post positive reviews of the restaurant on ratings websites like Yelp and Urban Spoon. Employees paychecks and hours were constantly getting messed up, they were often a week behind in getting our checks, and the labor violations were frequent. It was common for girls to work 12 hour shifts without any breaks and be expected to be back six hours later to open the next morning. Servers working there were disrespected, many people were fired without reason and the management/owners fought like children. This place is NOT a good place to work or to have any part in, the atmosphere wasn’t remotely professional, and frankly I don’t think that any of the former employees are remotely surprised by this news. They’ve had it coming.

  25. All these comments and no positives about Luke? Shocked I am. SHOCKED! Where is Brooke to defend him?

  26. Worst service ever, and dude Luke looked like super douche. I don’t know anything about his business practices, but he really needs to put away the trashy designer clothes and stop trying to bang his employees. It’s too bad though, that place had a lot of potential.

  27. i’m also a former employee of redline. i left of my own volition as the place is clearly a sinking ship. after being told that my continued employment was contingent upon my becoming facebook friends with every other employee, then that my shifts were being cut because the owners only wanted “hot female bartenders” i’d had enough. the place is a dump run by over-ambitious yuppies so wrapped up in their own egos that they actually think they’re developing some original, industry-changing idea. give it a year and we’ll be poking fun at it the way we do about pearl now.

  28. I worked for redline/rpm this last year. When I received my w2’s I thought they looked wrong. Someone help!

  29. Whats this talk of w2’s. I thought mine looked off. I to am a former employee or RPM/Redline and also worked ridiculous hours without proper compensation. 12 hour days? more like 16 hour days! Not shocked at all.

  30. As a former employee of redline/rpm.. I am so glad all this is getting out in the open!
    People really need to see who he is, I personally sat on a computer With a higher up there and looked at his records and had it all explained to me!
    He is slimy and a crook.
    I left voluntarily and had to force him to let me have my last 2 weeks there.

  31. Re: Redline sports grill servers

    Date: 2011-11-12, 2:34PM
    DO NOT apply here unless you want to be part of an establishment that cannot seem to figure out what they want. All of the owners say different things and do not communicate well with staff and even between themselves. The managers there are jokes for human beings and don’t know how to run a business to save their lives. nobody will respect you and the owners will hit on you and be super creepy stalker like on facebook. Oh yea, you have to add them to facebook or they get all upset and your job will be on the line. Plus one of the owners is married and yet he continuously brings different girls (that aren’t his wife of course) to the establishment and you aren’t supposed to say anything to his wife the next time you see her! Super classy i must say. Anyways, unless you love being in drama 24/7 and only working with basically all girls (that includes the minimal male staff there) then stay clear of this nightmare! SERIOUSLY!

    Location: tucson (oracle and wetmore)
    Compensation: NOT ENOUGH! THEY ARE NEAR BROKE!
    Principals only. Recruiters, please don’t contact this job poster.
    Please, no phone calls about this job!
    Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
    Original URL: http://tucson.craigslist.org/fbh/2699155058.html

  32. Nothing about working here was right!
    So many hours, not getting paid enough, and having to deal with them thinking the servers need to do everything.
    Working in rpm was awful! I mean your too cheap to hire cleaning people?!
    Loved the girls I worked with, and still remain really close with them.
    But the management and the owners are joke.
    Constantly being hit on by a different owner, weather they are married, have a gf or what not… They are so entitled and if you don’t just brush it off they will certainly fire you on the spot! I don’t want to pretend like you aren’t trash when your wife comes in!

    The food is disgusting, and when people would complain, most the time I couldn’t even take it off the bill because no manager wanted to help me.
    I heard more complaints working there, then compliments!

    I’m ashamed to have worked here, and feel bad for the girls that are still being mistreated and underpaid still!

    Go lindy! Get what you deserve! Your awesome.

  34. You young people need to get together and do a class-action lawsuit for sexual harassment and wage fraud. And if Luke Cusack stole your wages, then, as a result, he also stole monies from the IRS.

    The IRS should be called and an audit should take place. A few anonymous calls from various people should get that ball rolling. Obama doesn’t like people who are unfair, and he especially hates people that cheat on their taxes. He needs all the tax dollars he can collect.

    I suggest that each of you that has worked there and gotten screwed, please let the reporters and bloggers that are interested in this story know of your experiences. United you can do so much more than you can as individuals.

    Sexual harassment is a crime. Wage fraud and tax fraud are also crimes. These crimes deserve payouts and prison time.

    It’s all okay to post our gripes here and other places, I’m right there with ya, but how about we actually do something more? Here’s an idea…

    LET’S SEND LUKE TO PRISON!

    Is there a lawyer that isn’t just another Luke, that would like to help these people out and bring down a shady businessman?

    This man is singlehandedly ruining a great deal of Tucson’s fragile reputation. Tucson has a problem attracting business. This Luke Cusack is known, and his behavior has tainted Tucson’s reputation at a very critical time when Tucson could use all the love it can get.

    Come on lawyers. This guy is such a filthy unfair cheat, he will make you salivate to litigate.

  35. Luke Cusack owes me $2,500 exactly. I’ve accepted the fact I will never be paid.

  36. Luke has a mansion, or at least he had it. I hear he lost it. I know-I worked on it. It sits on top of the mountain in a place called Trails End, and we worked by hand because machines couldnt get up to it. $10 million house with 5 levels and 1 bedroom. No safety gear, hot, dangerous. This house was an excercise in greed because the other huge house wasn’t enough. He had his club employees do the work. One of them said that it felt like building the great wall of china.

  37. i am also an former employee of redline sports grill…that place is a joke, and i am sad to say i work there. How they treat employees is a joke. They withheld our checks until we wrote good comments on the place on yelp, yeah those are paid for…also if your so smart why would the open a new menu two days before a big ufc fight, and wonder why service sucked that night cause no one knew shit. luke does look like a porn star, one of those ones you find under a bed in the eighties.

  38. Luke Cusack used to own a restaurant downtown called A Steak in the Neighborhood. It, like him, turned out to be a huge failure. The funny part is that he would only serve the best cuts of meat like filet mignon. Turn the clock and now he’s serving hamburgers at Redline. “Would you like fries with that?”

    Following his pattern, Redline is also now a huge failure. The restaurant has massive staff turnover, high prices, moronic management, and one of the biggest assholes on the planet running it.

    Don’t feel too sorry for Luke Cusack. He is a disgusting human being that is incapable of having friends or loving anything but money and himself. He loves to brag about how he has wealthy friends who are influential. Not a single one of them would ever invest money with him. That tells me they know him too well.

  41. I worked for Luke for many many years, I got paid, stayed out of the spot light and worked hard and was rewarded, I have seen many of his practices and handling of Employees including family of mine. And was not happy or pleased in the way he treats people. I knew better than to put myself in any situation of doing business with Luke. Keeping strictly employee / owner relationship and know what to do and how to handle the bar business and how to make one hell of a drink. I don’t have anything bad to say. Just don’t partner up with the guy.. study before you go diving into any business adventures with Luke..

  43. I made sure to read Luke LaDouche’s rebuttal first… It’s amazing how little support he gets from other businessmen around Tucson? Scary thing is, so many owners/managers in Tucson take advantage of their employees in the same fashion. “I can hire anyone to do your job!” and then they wonder why they lack loyal staff? Lindy is a stand up guy, I know what he went through, as I went through it with him. I’d love to file a lawsuit against that dude for wrongful termination and wage fraud as well… I’m still waiting on my w2 from 2011!!!

  44. Well folks this story is over. Redline is bankrupt, the building razed, and Luke the Puke has fled to Mexico.

    Tucson is now a better place!

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