Ernie's Empire, which ran 3rd Gear Restaurant & Bar on the shores of Forest Lake, recently filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection.
The company had received more than $100,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans through the U.S. Small Business Administrationin August 2020, according to records and Eric Ernst, the restaurant's owner. The loans were forgivable with a few requirements and were essentially considered free money.
Ernst opened the restaurant, which is in the city of Forest Lake,…
