Dispute With Hollywood Studio Leads to Shut Down Of Two Local Burger Joints

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BACK TO THE FOODTURE

This isn’t the Hollywood ending Eddie Barnz and Angel Magwood envisioned. They’re outta time.

In a social media post, the owners of Back to the Foodture announced they’re closing both locations. Sites at 2667 E. Carson Street on the South Side and 1014 Fifth Ave. Uptown will operate through Aug. 16.

In addition to a menu featuring hundreds of wing flavors, burger combos, hot dog varieties and French fry options, the “Back to the Future”-themed restaurants doubled as pop culture museums.

The chain is also top-billed on our 2023 Best Restaurants list. But, Universal Studios, which distributed the 1985 film starring Michael J. Fox, isn’t a fan.

Two months ago, lawyers for the Hollywood powerhouse told Barnz and Magwood they would sue if the couple didn’t change the name and logos and remove all Back to the Foodture social media accounts.

It would take a lot of money and at least 1.21 gigawatts to rebrand both locations, so they decided to put the proverbial DeLorean in park.

Barnz says he tried to work out an agreement with Universal, but the company declined.

The nostalgic concept debuted in Pitcairn in 2019, a location that closed during the height of the pandemic. Back to the Foodture II became the first Black-owned business in the SouthSide Works in 2021 and the Uptown spot started bumpin’ just three days into 2023.

Barnz and Magwood, who is the mastermind behind the enormous menu, are sad but still fluxing. They’re focused on feeding the masses for another month and preparing for the October release of their potato chip line, Barnzy’s.

In a world where two people have a dream, anything is possible.