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Bocage Village cancels Dearman's lease
Posted on 3/9/16 at 10:56 am
Posted on 3/9/16 at 10:56 am
The owners of Bocage Village Shopping Center have terminated Dearman’s lease, one week after an overnight fire destroyed the popular diner. Dearman’s owner David Van Gelder says he received a letter March 6 from shopping center manager Mitch Richardson informing him of the decision.
“We are shocked and devastated by the fire,” Van Gelder says. “Now to find out our lease has been terminated after the fire is astonishing.”
The termination is based on a clause in Dearman’s lease agreement that allows the shopping center to cancel the lease in the event of a major fire, according to Richardson.
“The landlord does have that option,” Richardson says. “So at this point we went on to exercise that option.”
But even before the fire, Dearman’s future at Bocage Village was questionable. Last fall, Richardson sent a letter to Van Gelder informing him the lease was set to expire in June. Van Gelder says he spent weeks making minor improvements to the restaurant, including new paint and wainscoting, and was under the impression the lease would be extended.
Richardson says he can’t say if the lease would have been extended had the fire not occurred, adding, “I don’t know, I didn’t get that far.” But he says, “This is something we have all been talking about since October.”
Richardson says no talks have taken place with any other potential tenants about moving into the 3,000-square-foot space. But he anticipates there will be some pushback from loyal patrons of the restaurant, which had been open since 2007 and was a reincarnation of the original Dearman’s Soda Shop.
“Unfortunately, people are going to talk, people are going to get out and have a lot of discussion about it,” he says. “But when the time is right there will be an announcement made as to what we intend to have reappear there.”
In the meantime, Van Gelder says he is trying to pick up the pieces and figure out where to go from here. It’s too soon to say whether he’ll try to reopen at another location in the future. For now, he’s concerned about his employees and his customers.
“We are a family and we are so concerned about our faithful loyal employees and what becomes of them,” he says. “We have a loyal customer base that includes friends. It’s sad to lose a 50-year-old business that brought such value to customers.”
“We are shocked and devastated by the fire,” Van Gelder says. “Now to find out our lease has been terminated after the fire is astonishing.”
The termination is based on a clause in Dearman’s lease agreement that allows the shopping center to cancel the lease in the event of a major fire, according to Richardson.
“The landlord does have that option,” Richardson says. “So at this point we went on to exercise that option.”
But even before the fire, Dearman’s future at Bocage Village was questionable. Last fall, Richardson sent a letter to Van Gelder informing him the lease was set to expire in June. Van Gelder says he spent weeks making minor improvements to the restaurant, including new paint and wainscoting, and was under the impression the lease would be extended.
Richardson says he can’t say if the lease would have been extended had the fire not occurred, adding, “I don’t know, I didn’t get that far.” But he says, “This is something we have all been talking about since October.”
Richardson says no talks have taken place with any other potential tenants about moving into the 3,000-square-foot space. But he anticipates there will be some pushback from loyal patrons of the restaurant, which had been open since 2007 and was a reincarnation of the original Dearman’s Soda Shop.
“Unfortunately, people are going to talk, people are going to get out and have a lot of discussion about it,” he says. “But when the time is right there will be an announcement made as to what we intend to have reappear there.”
In the meantime, Van Gelder says he is trying to pick up the pieces and figure out where to go from here. It’s too soon to say whether he’ll try to reopen at another location in the future. For now, he’s concerned about his employees and his customers.
“We are a family and we are so concerned about our faithful loyal employees and what becomes of them,” he says. “We have a loyal customer base that includes friends. It’s sad to lose a 50-year-old business that brought such value to customers.”
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:00 am to LSUMJ
Mother fricker.
One of the best burgers in Baton Rouge.
One of the best burgers in Baton Rouge.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:01 am to LSUMJ
Sounds pretty damn suspicious.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:01 am to LSUMJ
I don't frequent Dearman's often but I have a bit of butthurt laced with nostalgia about Dearman's not being in it's current location. I hope they can find another location that fits their needs.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:01 am to CBandits82
quote:
One of the best burgers in Baton Rouge.
Nope.
I dug the nostalgia, but nope.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:02 am to LSUMJ
I know all parties involved. Sucks. I really like their burgers.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:02 am to Artie Rome
quote:
Nope.
Yes.
It was awesome.
Better than 5 guys, Mason's, Moo Ya, etc.
Flemings burger is better though.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:03 am to Motorboat
quote:
I know all parties involved. Sucks. I really like their burgers.
You think he re opens?
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:12 am to CBandits82
quote:
Better than 5 guys, Mason's, Moo Ya, etc.
No doubt about that.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:15 am to LSUMJ
i would boycott the rest of the businesses there.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:17 am to MorbidTheClown
i thought someone said they opened a second location downtown in the past and it closed
Only reason it stayed open in Bocage was because of the nostalgia factor
Only reason it stayed open in Bocage was because of the nostalgia factor
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:19 am to CBandits82
quote:
You think he re opens?
I really don't know. David seems to not really be into it anymore
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:21 am to LSUvegasbombed
quote:
i thought someone said they opened a second location downtown in the past and it closed
The courthouse place? That was ill-conceived.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:21 am to Motorboat
i remember they wanted to open where macaroni grill was on corporate but it never happened.
At least I was told that
At least I was told that
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:27 am to MorbidTheClown
quote:
i would boycott the rest of the businesses there.
I'm doing just that. Shady arse business practice to kick a tenant out after a fire. If there's more to the story, then the landlord needs to come out with it. But for now, it looks like a pretty big dick move.
For now, my business will follow Dearman's to a new location. I've certainly had the last of Portabello's, Beausoleil, LeMadeline, Carriages, and whatever else is still renting in that shithole.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:27 am to LSUMJ
PS - Admins should move this to the OT. I think it would garner more interesting outrage over there.
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:29 am to LSUMJ
quote:
We have a loyal customer base that includes friends.
And that's about it.
The burgers were meh and the only thing good was the old feel to the place. It's sad that a local business caught on fire but I'm assuming he had insurance and can recover from it.
Maybe the landlord was gonna terminate the lease anyway
Posted on 3/9/16 at 11:34 am to Deactived
quote:
The burgers were meh and the only thing good was the old feel to the place
i like their burgers. and their shakes were the best. and always got nice friendly service
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