Corporate Upper Crust Owes West Roxbury's Branch $15,000 from Groupon.com

The West Roxbury branch of the Upper Crust Pizzeria is remaining open while 10 out of 16 local branches have closed in the face of financial failures.

The locally owned pizza chain Upper Crust needs a cash infusion of a least a hundred thousand dollars to keep its doors open, or it could close forever, according to the Boston Globe. 

But West Roxbury's branch is locally-owned and continues to keep its doors open on Centre Street, said co-owner Kelley Santangelo. But the local business is no longer taking Groupon coupons.

"We are not taking Groupons because although corporate UC (Upper Crust) was paid for them by Groupon, they never forwarded the $15K coming to us. We are out about $23,000 in product due to all of the $25 Groupon vouchers we have redeemed already. Groupons will be refunded if customers call Groupons directly," wrote Santangelo in an email to West Roxbury Patch.

Upper Crust declared bankruptcy last month and is also in the midst of a scandal  to its workers in back wages, according to the US Department of Labor. A separate investigation into the company in 2009 found the company had also violated several labor laws and owed employees $425,000.

At a hearing in US Bankruptcy Court Tuesday, the trustee, Mark G. DeGiacomo, said the company needed $120,000 to keep the doors open, according to the Globe. However, that cash did not come through.

The chain has rapidly shut down 10 out of its 16 area locations, including the branch in the South End, although it is currently routing orders through its Beacon Hill location. The business may have to shut down completely if no cash infusion is received, according to the Globe.