Country Club Plaza sues luxury retail tenant for back rent, possession of the space

The Country Club Plaza is suing one of its retailers, seeking back rent and possession of the space.

The Plaza says Barton Perreira, at 421 Nichols Road, owes $102,609 as of Dec. 1, and rent is accruing at $9,692 per month.

George Barton, attorney for Barton Perreira, said the retailer did not pay rent because of the Plaza’s “failure to repair a very dangerous carbon monoxide” issue.

He said that problem has been ongoing since April 2018. George Barton is the brother of William Barton, co-founder of Barton Perreira, a luxury eyewear brand. The brothers grew up in the Kansas City area.

A spokeswoman for the Plaza said the shopping district does not comment on ongoing legal matters.

The suit was filed in January, and a hearing is scheduled for March 11.

The retailer signed a lease for the space in September 2014 and opened the following March. It has 914 square feet of retail space and another 955 square feet in the basement. The lease expires in April 2025.

But Barton Perreira was in the process of closing on the Plaza this past week and relocating to the Crestwood Shops, at 319 E. 55th St.

The Plaza has lost several tenants during the pandemic and now has more than two dozen empty spaces.

This story was originally published March 3, 2021 at 2:45 PM.