One of East Hampton’s most well-known restaurants, the Laundry, has filed Chapter 11. The American eatery was opened in 1980 by a group of investors, including legendary ICM agent Sam Cohn, and remained open yearlong, even during the days when most East End spots closed for the winter. (A few years ago, after it moved from its original location in a former laundromat, the Times called it “the pioneer of upscale restaurants on the East End.”) But this year’s postseason dining scene has been bleaker than most, and current owner Stewart Chrysler filed for bankruptcy protection before Thanksgiving to deal with creditors, including the Suffolk County National Bank, which is owed $597,000, and the IRS, which is owed $129,000. Chrysler did not return calls, but the restaurant is still operating five nights a week. “It is nearly impossible to run a restaurant once you have filed Chapter 11,” says one Hamptons restaurateur. “Purveyors won’t extend any credit and all goods and services have to be paid up front.’’
