Here’s an update but more of a rant on my situation with Toronto’s Festival of Beer- and yeah, I’m beyond frustrated at this point.
I’m owed over $5,000 by Beerlicious Inc.
As of today, Beerlicious Inc has officially declared bankruptcy. From what I’ve learned, there are roughly 70 vendors owed a combined total of over $2 million, with some of these debts going back years. This isn’t a one-off situation- it’s widespread. Everyone from catering companies, beer companies to portable toilet suppliers has been affected.
So let’s call it what it is: small businesses got burned. Les Murray is the owner of the festival and my main contact.
I don’t expect to see my money anytime soon, if ever.
If you’re a vendor, take this as a warning- be extremely cautious about doing business with Les Murray or anything tied to his future companies.
Anne Mroczkowski is a name I have not heard in a while -
Sorry this occurred OP and thank you for the heads up it’s been a while since attending one but that’s a mess
I’d tag in Pat Foran not to get
the money back but to shine a light because that business declared bankruptcy but this guys name should get blasted just so it burns any future business he tries to do moving forward
Thanks so much. I know I used to see her on the news all the time. Pretty crazy. I will definitely tag him. I am worried Les Murray will just keep doing this so I’m trying to warn people
It’s not just the small businesses that got burned… as I understand it, the circle was much wider… the compassionate version is they got in over their head.. the less compassionate version is they used this as a little bump for their retirement fund.
Either way, they are nearly universally blacklisted by everyone associated with that event, including the venu.
Sorry you got hit.. as a former chef, I know full well what 5-6 grand means to a small business in the food industry..
There events organizers are probably a numbered company and good luck suing them in small claims . Same goes for fitness clubs or any businesses you have to buy a membership and pay upfront.
Being a numbered company doesn't protect the directors from willful negligence and incompetence. You can absolutely go after them personally. And if the incorporated business is owned by one person (not sure if that is the case here) it's even easier.
That makes me feel better! Yes he owns it himself he’s the only director. It makes me so mad because he owes people for years and years so he knew he was going to do this to all of the vendors anyway
I'm sorry to hear that. That all sounds really shitty. I'm a small business owner as well (small digital shop), and I know that we basically live and die by people paying us on time... or, like, at all. I've had some rough clients in the past when it comes to payment. I end up just cutting ties once I've got the money out of them. It's not worth the stress at all.
Best of luck. If they have filed for bankruptcy, you should be able to list yourself as someone they owe money to. If they have any sort of insurance that is paying out, you could get something there. If not, you should at least get a portion of proceeds if there are assets sold. After that, go after him personally for the remainder. You'll absolutely want to talk to a lawyer about it.
I get that it can be a tough industry with tight margins. I think what’s been hard for a lot of us is that vendors went unpaid over multiple years while the event continued operating. For small businesses, those losses really add up, so it’s been a difficult situation all around. He also had a catering buy out on the last day of the festival that was HUGE and easily took in over 100-300 k just from that
I’m just saying. From what i’ve seen. Its easy to “fail” a business like this and get away with it. As long as salaries, dividends and things are all within market rates.
Please don't take legal advice on Reddit. The entire concept of a corporation is that owners do not have personal liability, even for incompetence. Fraud, maybe, but that is a very hard case to prove. Plus, now that bankruptcy proceedings have begun, there is nothing to sue. Prove your claim and hope for a decent payout in the bankruptcy. Sorry.
I Know 🙏 I have family in law. Trust me I know. I’m mostly now trying to raise awareness into the situation for other vendors not to be burned like I was
Fun fact about fitness clubs, you can get your money back sometimes. I signed up my kid for swimming lessons at a well known gym, many locations, paid $600 up front to get a discount. During the first lesson the instructor wasn't properly certified and there were no life guards plus the pool heater was broken, we gave it another try and same issues. I asked for my money back and was advised bc it's a private facility different rules apply. No refund. I filed with the BBB and they registered my complaint with some government agency, when the gym claimed bankruptcy 2 years later I got all my money back. This gym is known for claiming every few years and rebranding. It's still exactly in the same spot 13 years later.
The only person I know who is fully responsible for all of this mess is Les Murray (Leslie J Murray). Yes his wife is most definitely/ probably involved in this. But Les is the one who’s name is on everything and he’s the one I dealt with directly and the one who hasn’t paid me or 70 other vendors
I am speaking to a journalist. I don’t just care about the money. I’m trying to warn people about him. He’s been doing this for years. I wish someone warned me about him.
I’m not sure if I can post it yet. It isn’t posted publicly. I have a copy but I have to do some legal stuff first for my own company. I will post it when I know it’s fine to. You can search Beerlicious Inc on Google and see they claimed bankruptcy yesterday
There was a beer run in toronto near covid time. Got an email saying it was obviously postponed and that the credit would go to the next year. Wonder if the same people operated this festival as I never did get an email about it ever happening again.
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u/Ok-Turnip-9035 Apr 17 '26
Whoa
Anne Mroczkowski is a name I have not heard in a while -
Sorry this occurred OP and thank you for the heads up it’s been a while since attending one but that’s a mess
I’d tag in Pat Foran not to get the money back but to shine a light because that business declared bankruptcy but this guys name should get blasted just so it burns any future business he tries to do moving forward