xhedos was sold as is now called AJ's Music Cafe

i, caleb grayson, no longer have anything to do with the 'new' place except best wishes a patronage when i'm in town. they still book bands and art, so check them out:

http://www.myspace.com/ajsmusiccafe

so, basically, all the assets of xhedos, inc. were sold to AJ April 2 2006. xhedos, inc. still has a large debt and has ceased to operate. i've been traveling ever since looking for new opportunities in music, art, etc. the name xhedos and the web site are available for sale - for cheap! please don't contact me here as i rarely log in.. love and blessings to all who called xhedos home and donated themselves to is long 11 years of being Detroit's best coffee and coffee house. and oh yeah, fuck Starbucks!!

Xhedos is SAVED!!

Well, everyone has been asking about xhedos. A lot of people were worried that is was going to go under. I rushed the benefit because I was summoned to court. The landlord told me I had until the end of February, but then served me a notice at the beginning of February. All that rushing around kind of limited the turn out and things got really messed up with scheduling - I'd say it was a bit of a fiasco if it wasn't for the fact that we raised about $7,000!

Although that would have caught us up on two months worth of rent, it wasn't the $10,000 we needed. It was the first of March by the time I counted it all and the landlord said he wanted March's rent on top of that or no deal. He refused to take a partial payment. At the same time I was dealing with a potential partner who could pay off all the debt, including back taxes, past due bills to vendors, and put more cash in to improve the place.

Even with the doubled sales of the benefit weekend, xhedos still did less business this February than last. I could spend all day long theorizing on why - the Michigan economy, increased competition, higher rents and taxes, etc. The bottom line is that xhedos just wasn't cutting it as a legitimate Michigan corporation. It really hadn't been for 11 years. I personally subsidized it with my time, money, mind, family, and hopes. xhedos needs to change to make it work. I believe that change is turning it from a coffeehouse that sells food to a restaurant that sells coffee. But for that to happen, it needs more money and more energy.

So then, about 2 weeks after the benefit and a big argument with the landlord, my possible investor drops out. At the same time the State of Michigan levies my bank account for past due taxes and takes almost all of the money raised from the benefit.

I was in shock.

I then was also served an eviction notice for my apartment upstairs. I've been living there for over 10 years. My son was born in the living room. After all this I just didn't feel a thing. In my mind I knew things were going to work out and I was just trusting God to take care of everything, but my heart was just numb from all these 'tragic' events.

One of my customers, now my attorney, offered to check out the legal stuff on my lease. It turned out he knew a guy, A.J., who was looking to open a place.

By this time, I had have my fill of being the small business entrepreneur. A.J. already had a partner and didn't want another and I wanted out. Yet, I felt a tremendous responsibility to the xhedos community. I was worried that xhedos would turn into a Lebanese restaurant, as the land lord told me that he had some guys waiting to do just that. or maybe a Starbucks. I didn't want to abandon it. I didn't want to see all my dreams and hard work for 11 years just disappear.

Then I get the eviction notice from my land lord for xhedos. I had to come up with $13,000 in a week. The shock still hadn't worn off and now its getting more intense. I've got no more time to find an investor or have another fundraiser, i'm faced with selling or just moving out.

As it turns out, this potential buyer, AJ O'Neal, is one of the sweetest guys I've ever met. When we sat down and talked, I told him all about the history of xhedos and my original vision. He was in total harmony and promised I'd be considered an honored guest as long as he was there. For years he's been wanting a place where he could bartend non-alchoholic drinks, make homemade soups, have open mic and poetry slams. He was as in love with xhedos as I ever was.

the landlord agree to be paid out of the proceeds of the sale and to dismiss the judgements against me for the apartment and the cafe - sparing my credit record.

So xhedos has been saved by AJ O'Neal. It won't be called xhedos anymore, but it will fulfill the role it has for the last 11 years, as a community space for a very unique town and group of people.

In celebration, we're spending the last week will be our final celebration. This may be your last chance to get Caleb's Pico Chili or Istanbul coffee until I can get my online store going. I'm calling on all musicians to come out and play the last week of open mic, and Friday and Saturday is free for booking. If you want to play, call me. I'll be signing people up for open mic right now for the whole week.

I want to thank everyone for a wonderful, wild ride. There are so many people to remember! I'll be posting my new adventures on my MySpace blog:
http://www.myspace.com/calebgrayson .