Chez Ann Salon & Day Spa
Beauty salon · Erie County ·
Haircuts, color, facials, manicures, pedicures with skilled stylists
Haircuts, color, facials, manicures, pedicures with skilled stylists
"I covered the abrupt cancellation of a three-month LGBTQ-friendly pop-up that was due to open in the Chez Ann restaurant space after owner Kimberly Houston allegedly threatened the pop-up operators with litigation and police involvement, posting the closure on a private Facebook post just hours before it was set to open." - Eater Staff
"I found that Chez Ann became the center of controversy in February after a chaotic pop-up Chinese New Year dinner during which owner Kimberly Houston allegedly threw food at a visiting chef and berated guests when one table brought their own alcohol; Houston disputed guests’ accounts while multiple guests and staff contested her version. Houston later threatened the operators of a planned LGBTQ-friendly pop-up (Ellas) with litigation and police involvement, and although she claims the restaurant was never closed, she expelled Ellas from the space and reopened Chez Ann immediately after their cancellation despite there being no sign the restaurant would have been operational while Ellas was scheduled to use the space. Eater reported on these developments and updated its story after clarifications that Chez Ann would not be closing permanently." - Audrey Carleton
"A Little Italy restaurant that became the center of controversy after a pop-up Chinese New Year dinner in February reportedly "went off the rails," with owner Kimberly Houston allegedly throwing food at a visiting chef and berating guests when one table brought their own alcohol to an event that was not BYOB; Houston insisted many people brought alcohol illegally, but multiple guests and staff contested that account. Representatives for both the pop-up and Chez Ann later told Eater the restaurant does not plan to permanently close." - Tim Forster
"During a Chinese New Year pop-up dinner at Chez Ann in Little Italy, I heard from the chef and multiple guests that owner Kimberly Houston became aggressively confrontational, leading to Chef Seven Yuan, her visiting kitchen staff, and most diners being thrown out partway through the Feb. 4 multi-course meal. Yuan, who runs the Nice To Meat You pop-up, said she encountered major disorganization and that Houston appeared to be drinking throughout the evening; guests and staff alleged Houston poured beer on a table’s plates, threw a plate at Yuan in the kitchen, accused a kitchen worker of theft and kicked him out, and repeatedly hurled insults and profanities while ordering everyone to leave. The incident reportedly began when one (or, according to a server, several) tables brought their own alcohol — the event page stated the dinner was not BYOB, although the official Chez Ann account commented “Bring your own bumps” — and Houston defends her actions by saying patrons brought alcohol in knapsacks and that she faces consequences for illegal drinking on premises. Yuan says she paid for all the food herself, received no compensation from the restaurant, had to throw away much of the meal, and was nevertheless proud of her sous-chefs; guests later voluntarily transferred money to her. The night also featured poor communication and limited prep access beforehand, conflicting accounts about past collaborations, and an unsettling moment when Houston left and returned with an unfamiliar man who allegedly threatened patrons." - Tim Forster
"A cozy Ottawa Street restaurant that departed the neighbourhood after a fraught year in which owner Kimberly Houston seemed to butt heads with locals (mostly via social media); Houston says issues with developers selling her space to another landlord led to a dispute and ultimately the move, and Chez Ann has relocated into the former La Femme Fontaine space in Little Italy." - Tim Forster
