Houston restaurateur, Benson “BJ” Vivares, a founder of now-closed Sticky’s Chicken and co-founder of Bun B’s Trill Burgers, died Thursday.
His death was first reported by chron.com. The law office of Aziz Trial Law, which represents the Vivares family, confirmed his death in an email to the Houston Chronicle Friday morning. The email also stated that the family has declined to make a statement at this time.
Information about the cause of his death and his age were not immediately available.
Vivares founded the Houston restaurant Sticky’s Chicken with his sister, Patsy, in 2014.
On Thursday, she posted on Facebook a picture of her brother along with the words: “I love you forever.”
Friday morning she posted a video of Vivares shaking maracas and dancing on her Facebook page.
The siblings’ Sticky’s Chicken started as a popular Houston food truck. In December 2019, a brick-and-mortar location opened in Sawyer Yards.
The Vivares later separated from Trill Burgers. A years-long legal battle regarding the ownership of Trill Burgers appears to be ongoing.
In an August 2023 lawsuit, the siblings claimed the burger business was not Bun B’s idea alone. At the time, lawyers for the Vivares contended they were still part-owners.
In a March 2024 lawsuit, Trill Burgers sued the siblings, alleging they misused $45,000 in Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo earnings. The Vivares denied those allegations in court records. The siblings countered, as reported by the Houston Chronicle, alleging Bun B and two other partners misused funds and pushed them out of the business.
This story may be updated.