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Facebook updates for today (1/4/2024):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/ (5 hrs ago - Illegal Cream Cheese burger with bacon and pineapple, paired with sweet potato fries)
https://www.facebook.com/KalakaMexicanKitchen/ (6hrs ago - the fish taco is your ticket to tastebud heaven!)
Here's a rare case where I'm happy to have spoken too soon (about no updates today).
--
But yes, we really want updates on the filings. I know, I know.
No Facebook updates today (yet) which would make this the longest number of days (3) in a while with no update on either page. However, Dec 29, Dec 30, Dec 31, and Jan 1 all had updates on one or both pages, so maybe their Facebook guy is all tuckered out.
Interesting scenario, but I have no reason to believe that that sort of thing is her 'thing.' She's a lawyer (fighting the good fight), not a restaurateur (I had to look that word up to spell it correctly).
I don't live anywhere near Colorado. I think I've seen at most two posters in this forum say they've been to one of the restaurants, but that was on a visit to Denver, not that they lived there. (I could be thinking of another forum as well.)
Nixon will never tell a private individual what his plans are without a non-disclosure agreement.
Hunting for public information is the only way to know what -- or that something -- is happening.
Things like Nixon's public statement plus website about opening Takiza Taco & Tequila Bar in 2023 prove that Nixon has plans but cannot always keep to his word (and the same goes for his 2020-11-17 Edgar NT 10-Q about late filing that became never filing). His El Cazo Mexican Kitchen debacle also shows that.
On the other hand, Nixon re-hiring Brenda Hamilton suggests something positive will happen because she doesn't have the reputation of having any sympathy for fools and scammers. Plus she knows Nixon because she worked for him for a year before NRG went public by its reverse-merge into WCVC.
Also, those 2 years of settlement negotiations with Ilegal Mezcal -- a far more successful company than Nixon's outfit, and now likely to be even more successful since Bacardi bought them -- suggest something positive.
Ilegal Mezcal didn't really need to take a poke at Nixon, since they were doing just fine without a piece of his "Illegal Brands" trademark. Interestingly, Nixon didn't just cave, which often happens when a trademark applicant doesn't have a solid claim or the money to fight. Ilegal Mezcal actually told the Trademark Board -- and made enough of it public in a filing -- that they had a deal with Nixon that was just waiting for him to sign. Now, it's true that 10+ months have gone by since then, but Ilegal Mezcal withdrew its opposition (i.e., no fight to the death), and now we see that Nixon has backed off promoting "Illegal Brands" as a separate business venture (=the website is gone).
OK, speculating on the Illegal Brands website 'closure' (being parked at GoDaddy) ...
Arguably that means Nixon did, at minimum, the sensible thing and got out of trying to make CBD Water and CBD packets a major business effort. If you google "CBD Water" or "CBD packets" the market is plenty saturated with those products. By now he doesn't have a chance at making a distinguishing product set in that space.
There's not enough public evidence to say that Nixon has now somehow made a money-making deal that grants Ilegal Mezcal the rights to "Illegal Brands," but -- to repeat something I did once before -- if you do a Google search on:
"illegal brand" "mezcal"
[two quoted strings]
you get a handful of hits that seem to show references to Ilegal Mezcal as 'that illegal brand' (using English spelling).
The hits I got are dated back quite a few years, and many of the links do not actually show that text when you click on them (meaning the text is only archived in Google's search-results cache), but even so, that shows a reason why Ilegal Mezcal might want trademark rights on 'the Illegal Brand' (English spelling), since at least some English speakers will spell it that way.
I guess there's no point in saying that this may give hope to a bigger next step.
www.illegalbrands.com is now parked on GoDaddy.
However, currently the URL first sets off an 'unsecure website' warning in Netscape that requires a few 'assume the risk' steps.
If you go here (a useful tool):
https://www.whatsmydns.net/redirect-checker?q=www.illegalbrands.com
it shows a "Forbidden" warning. But if click on "visit" the site, after convincing your browser to let you go there it will show the GoDaddy page.
[Chrome lets me go there without a hassle, but warns me that it is "Not secure".]
Speculation on what this means is just that - speculative. But it is a change.
Since WCVC is currently revoked, it is technically a private company, so it doesn't have to file any public filings. For public companies, usually filings have to be published by 45 days after the end of the quarter. I'm guessing that annual filings have a similar deadline.
However, WCVC has to file its taxes, so federal and state deadlines apply.
Nixon also has to file all of his state corporation filings. I assume those deadlines may vary from state to state.
The Florida deadline is May 1 for Nixon Restaurant Group, and any others he wants to bring back to life. After that there's a $400 late fee, up through late September, after which a corporation will be administratively dissolved if it missed the final Sep deadline.
Nixon has a bunch of LLCs and 'branches' in Colorado, but I haven't looked up any of those deadlines.
Those state corporation filings are simple. They are distinct from tax filings and public corporation filings.
I don't have any doubt that the 4 Illegal Burgers and 2 Kalaka Mexican Kitchens are legit.
The question is, if Nixon is going to expand, how's he going to do it?
First 2024 Facebook updates (1/1):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/ (1hr ago)
https://www.facebook.com/KalakaMexicanKitchen/ (1hr ago)
January specials.
Permits needed to open a restaurant in CO:
https://corestaurant.org/blog/licenses-and-permits-required-to-open-a-restaurant-in-colorado/
Lots of steps. And a few bucks.
Although Nixon did get an H&R license from the LODO Good Neighbor Committee for his Takiza Taco & Tequila Bar:
https://lodona.org/good-neighbor-committee/
I suppose there could be other licensing issues.
Still we're all disappointed that Nixon never opened his Takiza Taco & Tequila Bar that he told the Denver Post in 2022 that he'd open in the spring of 2023, especially because Nixon put real product pictures and a prospective menu up on www.takiza.com, and then took them down, replaced by his placeholder page that only now promised "Coming Soon."
Given how much effort and money it takes to open a new restaurant, I wonder why Nixon wasted his time and money on the now failed El Cazo Mexican Kitchen, although maybe as a buy-out the licenses came with it. But if it was 'that easy,' that it closed so quickly sure casts doubt on the business logic behind that venture.
But, going back to the 'time and effort' it takes to open a new restaurant, I'll end with a venture local to my town, namely a long-empty place (that once upon a time sold pizza. and had a few other opened-then-closed businesses occupying it between pizza and now) that underwent some noticeable property renovation in 2023, and even had a sign about a 'coming soon restaurant,' but it never opened (although it may still be a work-in-progress).
I don't know what combination of 'gub-mint' bureaucracy and internal business issues has kept it from opening. But I suppose any small restaurant business has to suffer those to varying degrees.
It's also possible that leases are an issue, getting enough staff, and even having enough customer traffic are issues. See this link for Denver area restaurants that closed in 2023 that had some of these problems:
https://www.denverpost.com/2023/12/20/denver-saddest-restaurant-closures-2023-sams-piccolo-tepehuan/
Re Nixon selling Ilegal Mezcal, to borrow a song title, I was wond'ring aloud. The best way to find out, shy of going there in person, is for someone to make a call.
When the takiza.com website was expanded to show their menu, their mezcal special drink was not made with Ilegal Mezcal, but that doesn't mean their bar wouldn't have stocked it. However the Ilegal Mezcal website doesn't show that any of Nixon's properties sell it (yet).
Go here:
https://shop.ilegalmezcal.com/pages/find-ilegal-mezcal-near-me
and type in "Denver, CO". A partial list of places is immediately shown; you have to click on "More" to see the full list. Again, none of Nixon's restaurants are on the list.
BUT, this may not be the full list of places to buy it. I typed in my zip code and it didn't list any restaurant, bars, or liquor stores near me. But my wife said she spotted a bottle of Ilegal brand spirits within the last month when she was buying something else. (I was waiting in the car, but didn't run inside to confirm it.)
I look for more ... but at the moment these are the only real-time updates of any sort that I can find.
But, speaking of Facebook being used for ads ...
Here's 16 Benefits of advertising on Facebook found via Google search (undated):
https://raddinteractive.com/16-benefits-of-advertising-on-facebook-for-your-business/
Nov 30, 2022:
https://eclincher.com/the-benefits-of-facebook-ads-reasons-why-you-need-them/
Oct 2023:
https://www.singlegrain.com/blog/benefits-of-facebook-ads/
Oct 26, 2023:
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2534-facebook-benefits.html
Facebook itself obviously encourages this sort of thing:
https://www.facebook.com/business/small-business/advertise?content_id=f7KqLGZRYKhyxmj&ref=sem_smb
My search string was:
"the value of using facebook for advertising purposes"
There were more results.
Both Facebook pages updated today (12/31):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/ (3hrs ago)
https://www.facebook.com/KalakaMexicanKitchen/ (3hrs ago -- I wonder which brands of mezcal they are selling)
Belated report of Facebook update (12/30):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/
That was the milkshake post. I don't see malt flavor, though. But, it's not as though that's the only disappointing thing ...
Aug 7, 2023 list of 'best cheeseburger in every state':
https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/best-burger-in-every-state/
Illegal Burger is listed for Colorado.
I found the above referenced here:
https://www.iheart.com/content/2023-10-25-this-restaurant-chain-serves-colorados-top-cheeseburger/
which is an October 25, 2023 review -- or maybe manufactured review -- of how tasty Illegal Burger burgers are.
Imagine if Nixon could leverage this reputation into a franchise.
[Just poking around the interwebs as usual.]
Facebook updates for today (12/29):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/ (1 hr ago - 'Mobster Box')
https://www.facebook.com/KalakaMexicanKitchen/ (13 mins ago - 'festive drinks')
The end of the fiscal year for West Coast Ventures Group Corp is Dec 31 (according to the last filed annual report).
Re Facebook being one of the best forms of advertising - can you find the link to that? It's good to see speculation confirmed somehow.
Since Nixon has put his Facebook links on his main pages, it's obvious he's inviting people to see them, but I'm not a fan of text-less icons alone (like Apple devices; I like the Android combo of icons and brief text).
At the very least Nixon could replace the content under the "What's News" sub-page on his Illegal Burger page with a more explicit "Visit our Facebook page" link since the stand-alone picture and reference to the "Quinoa Bowl" that has been there for ages really projects an "I can't give a heap of steaming excrement" attitude about that website. Nobody can't find out about "What's New" by visiting that page.
My same (repeated) complaint goes for his "Press" sub-page. Going there only leads to de-Press-ion for the same reason. The stale info -- plus a broken link -- makes it look like he's going out of business.
ARTICLE: Kitchen Toke, article date Mar 11, 2019:
LINK: https://www.restaurant-hospitality.com/food-trends/video-week-illegal-burger-owner-and-son-cbd-health-benefits
RESULT: The link works, but how much business is he really stirring up by this feel-good story, especially since CBD no longer seems to be a major element to his offerings.
ARTICLE: MarketWatch, article date Sep 8, 2018,
LINK: https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/wcvc-expands-in-780-billion-fast-casual-dining-sector-with-new-illegal-burger-location-and-cannabis-themed-restaurant-partnership-2018-11-08
RESULT: The link gives me me what I at first thought was a completely bank page, but on a third-look I see the one word "Gone" in the top-left. The link name also shows a now mostly failed business focus, of being "Cannabis-themed."
ARTICLE: Americanna Cafe, article date Feb 01, 2019:
LINK: https://www.restaurant-hospitality.com/new-restaurant-concepts/colorado-s-illegal-burger-co-launch-cannabis-themed-concept
RESULT: The link works, but the article is about a now failed attempt to partner with a "food truck" business.
ARTICLE: Westworld, article date December 17, 2015:
LINK: https://www.westword.com/restaurants/burgers-in-chains-third-illegal-burger-opening-on-larimer-street-7427553
RESULT: The link works, but it a) announces the Larimer Street restaurant that is still open, b) offers an explanation for why they chose the name "Illegal Burger" [that is interesting, BUT ...] c) the article contrasts Illegal Burger with Illegal Pete's.
This comparison with Illegal Pete's is, for Nixon, a TOTAL FAIL, since Illegal Pete's
https://www.illegalpetes.com/locations
now has 12 open locations with 2 more announced.
SUBTLE COMMENTARY: What the hell are you doing, Nixon? It's great that your Kalaka Mexican Kitchen Facebook page shows a few yummy dishes with fried eggs on top, but why do you let these stale/broken links show the egg that keeps being thrown in your face every time someone clicks on this sub-page to read your "Press" releases? Are you trying to send business to Illegal Pete's instead of your own restaurants?
--
It's 'good' (in a relative sense) that Nixon took the links to "Illegal Pizza" and "Illegal Brands" off the main Illegal Burger page, but this other stuff just continues to insult shareholders and anyone interested in seeing what he has to offer. How hard could it have been to also remove these other two pointless sub-pages ("Press" and "What's New") until he has something current to say?
Now, maybe all these defects will be fixed if/when there is a 'big reveal' connected to relisting. But this broken/stale stuff only seems harmful to Nixon's day-to-day retail business as long as he keeps this stuff there, especially since he obviously expects people to use his Illegal Burger website since it has that 'order-ahead' feature.
Re Facebook (and Instagram pix) vs Twitter/X ... I hate to hint at how old I am, but what other social media choices are there that serve as a viable and stable base for advertising?
[For me, 'social media' is reddit, which is the closest thing to a reboot of the old usenet groups that I've seen.]
I've also been meaning to mention that I follow these URLs for updates on Denver eats:
https://whatnowdenver.com/#
https://www.denverpost.com/author/lily/
Lily O'Neill broke the now moribund news about Takiza Taco & Tequila Bars.
It is normal for Nixon to advertise via Facebook, but what is 'abnormal' is the up-tick in frequency of his 'ads' since last November. He used to post 1-4 updates a months, and now it's pretty consistent on both sites every 1-3 days. It seems 'ho hum' now that it seems regular, but I think it's worth taking note of.
New Facebook updates for Illegal Burger and Kalaka Mex Ktchn (12/27):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/ (3hrs - hurry up and get Dec specials before gone)
https://www.facebook.com/KalakaMexicanKitchen/ (1hr ago - same thing re Dec specials)
Both have pix.
Chris, on renaming, I can't give you a definitive answer about that. However, I don't think the name matters as much as that it is stuck on top of the existing shares. All of the existing shares represent ownership of the company's current assets.
Plus, Nixon hasn't filed for bankruptcy, which would likely doom the shares. If Nixon were going to do that, I can't imagine that Hamilton would be working for him.
Hamilton's post wasn't recent (2021), and what she said was certainly true in the general case. Given this post of hers, and, really, just about every other blog post by her about failed stocks and assorted stock-abusing fraudsters, it's clear that she is virtually sympathy-free for any company whose stock is revoked.
That's the ironic mystery (to me) about her now working for Nixon again. Why work for him, again, unless there is a point on the positive side? (This is not a prediction about timing, though.)
What Happens if You’re Not SEC Compliant? ... (see) Revocation
https://brinenlaw.com/securities/what-happens-if-youre-not-sec-compliant/
Doordash and Grubhub Kalaka menus with pictures:
https://www.doordash.com/store/kalaka-mexican-kitchen-evergreen-1357344/
https://www.grubhub.com/restaurant/kalaka-mexican-kitchen-29017-hotel-way-evergreen/3010269
Not all items on each menu have pictures, but for a business-model that requires a person to look, drool, then order while staying home, they both do a pretty good job of visual presentation.
The Kalaka main website menus should look so good.
That's hard to say (meaning I don't know the exact real-world rule) since it only says 2 years are needed. Nixon was 'dark' for just over a year when he got revoked, so in theory (=my guess) he could have back-filled starting with that missing year's financials. Just because he didn't file doesn't mean he wasn't able to eventually catch up on his paperwork.
2021 blog post by Hamilton on suspended (and revoked) stocks:
https://www.securitieslawyer101.com/2021/the-sec-just-suspended-my-stock-now-what/
Suspensions for trading violations (=fraud) are more 'interesting' -- meaning more punishment to see -- than suspensions for delinquency (=not filing). Still, she doesn't hold out much hope for either
She talks a lot about stocks being suspended first, but I think it's true that WCVC wasn't suspended, although the threat of being sent to the Expert Market was well known.
She doesn't say anything about stocks sent to the Expert Market first, but only speaks about stocks being sent directly to the Grey Market.
Sandwiched in-between talk of suspension and trading on the Grey Market is this:
Yeah, being revoked is the rub; and there's no known schedule for how long it might take(*), although I suspect that some of it is strategic.
But what Nixon is waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for sure is the curiousity-killer, isn't it? It's as though factoring in shareholder exasperation is part of his plan.
(*) It actually looks like two years are required (https://www.sec.gov/corpfin/cf-manual/topic-1), to file with the SEC, but we don't know what else Nixon is waiting for.
New Facebook updates (12/25 & 12/24):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/
https://www.facebook.com/KalakaMexicanKitchen/
12/25 - Christmas greetings on both.
12/24 - food picture for illegal Burger, empty restaurant for Kalaka Mexican Kitchen.
I don't really think pictures of empty (though clean) restaurants is the best way to depict them as thriving, must-go-to places.
The food pix always look pretty good, though.
Thanks. I also found that video here on their main feed:
https://www.facebook.com/thedenverfoodie
with the same Dec 4 date. That's good to see current reviews.
Well ... there's a couple of ways to look at this.
If people ARE buying this on the Grey Market, if the stock will never trade again, then they are as hosed as we are, and VERY stupid. But, if people (investors) are buying this on the Grey Market, then they must think good things are ahead.
I don't know if people are trading this, but was only commenting that it's possible. However, usually Grey Market buying is common (or not unheard of) BEFORE a company goes public, with backers acquiring a stake beforehand.
Revoked stocks are usually dead for good, but it's obvious that this company isn't dead. It has operating restaurants, active social-media advertising, AND an expert securities/going-public lawyer as its agent. So it's not unimaginable that Grey Market trading could be happening. But again, this is only a guess. Maybe there isn't any.
BUT, the fact that the stock showed an unsolicited bid for almost a month suggests something is/was happening behind the scenes. If it came from a market-maker, then the market-maker had to follow the rules about inspecting the financials.
New Illegal Burger Facebook post today (12/22):
https://www.facebook.com/illegalburgerco/ (2hrs ago, with non-food picture)
Market makers and certain other types of buyers can buy on the Grey Market. What the price would be is unknown.
How they can get retail shares is also unknown, although as a guess they might have a deal with brokerages to helpfully take liquidated shares off their hands.
New Kalaka Facebook update today (12/22):
https://www.facebook.com/KalakaMexicanKitchen/ (2hrs, has picture)
That two brokers were displaying it suggests it was more than a glitch, but we haven't yet heard what IBKR is now displaying.
Re Footnote 3 -- a quirky display difference:
My positions page shows that information as footnote 4.
Schwab has now taken away that .0001 price. Let us know if you see it return.
Does anyone know what IBKR shows?
This board is current 47th spot on the Most Read list:
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/most_read.aspx
Got your PM. Wrong name. You don't know me.
Thanks. I know you will keep us posted if you see a positive change.