A local business partnership fizzled quick in a startup bouncy-house business, so one of the partners is asking a judge to sort out the financial and operational details.
Albert Bobek filed a complaint May 11 in Cook County Circuit Court against Super Bounce Inflatables Inc. and Alejandro Anguiano.
In summer 2012, Bobek and Anguiano started an oral joint venture to lease and build out space for a children's activity and play center called "Super Bounce."
The agreement, according to the lawsuit: Bobek would lend the business $54,597.71 as startup costs, be in charge of building out the lease space, and work at the facility two or three days a week; Anguiano would work full-time at the business as the manager and make no money initially.
After several months of financial, mortgage and managerial disputes after opening, from January to March 2015, the lawsuit states, "Anguiano ignored all requests by Bobek that he be granted access to the business records of Super Bounce, receive his share of the profits, and that he be treated as a 50 percent owner."
The lawsuit alleges that Anguiano used the "corporate entity as a device to exclude Bobek as a partner" and "did so with the intention of depriving Bobek of his right to participate in the operation of ...Super Bounce, and to deny Bobek access to the business records."
The plaintiff seeks a court order declaring that Bobek is half owner of the business and gets complete access to business records; Anguiano breached their partnership agreement and failed to pay him for three months; that Bobek should collect the balance due on the start-up loan from the business and Anguiano; and Bobek should be able to fully participate in the operation of the business. He also seeks attorneys' fees and court costs.
The plaintiff is represented by Chester A. Lizak and Julia Jensen Smolka of DiMonte and Lizak in Park Ridge.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015CH07612.