A notice is posted on the door at Gibson’s Grill, adjacent to The National theater downtown. It advises that nothing should be removed from the premises – another indicator of ongoing problems at the café. Gibson’s has been closed for about two weeks, and staffers at the National say management is searching for a new operator for the food-service segment of the business. A call to a co-owner has not yet been returned.

Some local restaurant owners say they have been approached about taking over Gibson’s, but with recent legal issues at the property it has been, some say, a tough sell. When Gibson’s opened in 2008 it was designed and run by Johnny Giavos, (Kitchen 64, Continental, 3 Monkeys and others) but Giavos sold it in 2011, saying at the time that sales were strong.

Gibson’s is located at 700 E. Broad St. across from the federal courthouse.