Cafe tenants locked out of Cutlass Tower!
“They boarded up my store,” Proprietor Ms Mariette Cameron told Virgin Islands News Online.
Ms Cameron, along with her daughter Ms Morsha Smith and another person, operate the Indulgence Bakery Cafe which is located on the ground floor of the Cutlass Tower located at the corner of Waterfront Drive and Nibbs Street.
The business owners had reportedly been occupying the premises for over six months and had already signed a multi-year lease for their business.
She related that they met the building boarded up when they arrived at the store in the morning but was unsure who had boarded up the business. The business was reportedly boarded up on the previous night.
Meanwhile, Ms Smith told this news site that the matter is currently under legal consideration and noted that she could not divulge much detail.
However, she said the three proprietors together have a five-year lease at the Cutlass Tower and permission to operate a bakery on the ground floor, which is what they were doing all along.
They were allegedly served notice on December 4, 2013 by building owner, Ms Patsy Lake, to vacate the premises within a one month period.
According to Ms Smith, the notice was served despite the fact that the tenants had not breached their contract in anyway whatsoever. She further alleged, “[this was] after we signed the five-year lease and made all payments on time...”
“Now I guess it’s in the lawyer’s hands...” Smith added.
However, a source close to the situation told this news site that the tenants allegedly broke their lease before they were served with a notice of removal.
According to the source who wished to remain unnamed, the tenants allegedly attempted to pay rent for the month of January, but this was not accepted. The source could not confirm whether the matter was before the courts.
“The marriage has not worked, that’s the whole long and short of it,” the source disclosed.
The Cutlass Tower was officially dedicated on January 30, 2013.
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80 Responses to “Cafe tenants locked out of Cutlass Tower!”
She will answer to a higher power.
Be patient Ms. Cameron God is in control!
I think whatever the situation is could of been handle alot better than this! This is not the way to handle business
See what the law can do for you Ms. Cameron. Wish you luck when them think the Premier is them father!!
A very good friend of mine was unceremoniously thrown out of her apartment just 6 months after moving in and after having endured a lengthy delay to take possession. Her landlord failed to have the new apartment ready on time and my friend was forced to live in a shipping container (with no water or electricity) for a month! She was too proud to ask for help. Nobody was aware of her situation until after she moved into her new apartment. My friend also had to put up with a constant parade of workmen in and out of her apartment and the other apartments in the complex for 5 of the 6 months she was there.
The landlord gave no reason whatsoever for the lease being terminated. At no time did my friend break the terms of her lease, but of course, she couldn't afford a lawyer. She simply left without a word.
As it turned out, she found a MUCH nicer apartment with a MUCH nicer landlord, for a small amount more per month and has been living there happily and peacefully for the past 11 years. She and her landlord have become fast friends.
The "little guy" (who often can't afford a lawyer) almost always gets the dirty end of the stick. But I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. Ms. Cameron and Ms. Smith will likely find a MUCH nicer store with a MUCH nicer landlord than they presently have.
Granted, there may be more to this story than we know, as the article indicates that the tenants somehow broke their lease. My guess is that the owner already has another tenant lined up. I'd bet dollars to donuts that the rent will now be higher than it was for Ms. Cameron and Ms. Smith. I wish them all the best.
It is a simple thing. If you build a building, stick to the building code. If you don't want to, don't build the place. What's your point?
Thanks in advance.
they are your sisters they are our people they work hard
What a pity no one warned Ms P. not to do business with de........e persons.
Laughable, I hope the source's marriage is working out, or maybe it isnt. A business arrangment is a "marriage" what a stupid comparison!
Six months later you are caught selling food, that is not braking the lease ??????????
Looking at the comments it seems someone (seems like the same blogger with multiple posts) don't like the people involved. I dont know the owner or the business people involved but it's sad. I also drove pass the area and it looks horrible with the ply wood up there. It's a nice building, please remove that ugly piece of ply from there... if they broke the lease by selling food then so be it..tough s#!t.
Instead of slapping up plywood sheathing why didn't the "do what the hell I want, when I want" landlord just change the locks. Now what was a nicely designed building now looks just like One Stop Mall..................a slum. That woman is a l...e ca....n.