On June 19, I wrote : “Somebody tell Caroline Galvan-Rodriguez that we are in a down economy—she is opening four new restaurants before August 4th…in late July, the former wife of MCrowd founder Mico Rodiguez, will open her first location of Taco Mundo at Preston Royal and a second location on August 4th.”
Well, it is November 23 and Ms. Rodriguez is now involved in a messy lawsuit with her Preston Royal landlord, Southeast Preston/Royal, LTD, Trademark Preston Oaks, Inc. The legal action was filed by Ms. Rodriguez on November 2. According to the paperwork, she has been locked out of the Preston Royal location since October 20. She claims to have already invested $500,000 in the space which was originally scheduled to open in July. The battle is over when the lease became effective and at what point the landlord had the right to lock her out for failure to open. (The whole document is here.)
Is this a preemptive strike against a landlord who did not see the an opening on August 4, September 4, October 4, or November 4? (According to Robert Willonsky over at Unfair Park, Rodriguez applied for a liquor license on November 26, 2008.) I’ve left a message at Trademark Preston Oaks, Inc. Stay tuned. Developing.
