Waldo landlord files suit against ‘elegant-casual’ restaurant tenant for back rent

A California-based restaurant group took over the former Tanner’s Bar & Grill space in Waldo in late 2018.

It remodeled and opened the “elegant-casual” Brick + Mortar in June 2019.

Now its landlord has filed suit, seeking possession of the space at 7425 Broadway.

Jache LLC says 7425 Brodway (sic) LLC and Travis Lester had a lease through Feb. 28, 2022, at the rate of $7,700 per month. Then the monthly rate would be $8,662 a month through Feb. 29, 2024.

Jache said Brick + Mortar stopped paying rent and now owes $60,599, plus the monthly rent through 2024 for a total of $407,099. Jache also wants possession of the space.

Lester could not be reached for comment.

Brick + Mortar temporarily closed in July after a health inspector discovered it had been under new ownership since April. It has not reopened.

Food permits are non-transferable if an establishment is sold, according to a department spokesman. Brick + Mortar’s new owners were required to fill out a permit and have the restaurant reinspected before they could continue operations.

At the time, they said the “ball got dropped” and they planned to reopen soon.

On Monday, James Bueckers, a partner in the new restaurant group, said he still hoped to reopen the restaurant.

“With COVID going on it has had a domino effect. It has taken a toll on everybody,” he said.

Tanner’s Bar & Grill had been a Waldo mainstay for more than a quarter of a century. Jache is now in talks with other restaurants interested in the space.

“This is a great corner. I want to get something in that will be another legacy in Waldo with a good owner operator to work it,” said Joe Zwillenberg, president of Jache.

This story was originally published September 8, 2020 at 11:16 AM.