David Martin reports: The Cordish Co. says the operator of Bice Bistro has violated the terms of its Power & Light District lease.
A lawsuit filed yesterday in U.S. Court says the Ruggeri family has missed rent payments and failed to pay its share of the costs necessary to finish the restaurant and an adjoining cafe. The suit seeks $4.4 million, an amount that includes the rent due through the end of the lease in 2018.
When it opened last year, Bice brought a taste of northern Italy to the downtown entertainment district's restaurant row. Family matriarch Beatrice Ruggeri opened her first restaurant in Milan in 1926. Her sons Roberto (who is named in the suit) and Remo expanded the business to Sardinia and then the United States.
Pitch food writer Charles Ferruzza visited the bistro last fall and was mostly underwhelmed.
Raffaele Ruggeri, president of Bice Restaurant Holding, did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment about the suit.
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Just found this article, and I must say that it is not encouraging...My son and daughter-in-law rent a downtown KC loft to the BiCE Bistro (a corporate lease). They have yet to be paid on time and have had to borrow money to make their mortgage payment each month. It is now May 31 and they have not received the May payment which was due May 1. The June one is due tomorrow!
Hey Jason,
Do you have names, anything else you could give me? I can't run the story without proof.
Hit me up at owen.morris@pitch.com
My friend says that Monday was the big day. About 6 cooks all walked out because they didn't get paychecks yesterday.
I'm amazed that Bice hasn't closed the doors yet... My boyfriend works there and he hasn't received a paycheck for five weeks now.
This is not the first Bice restaurant that this is happening at. This is also taking place at a Florida location... LOOK UP--WPTV.com to check it out.
Also, be aware that employees are running way behind on receiving paychecks. My friend works there and says the cooks are ready to walk out and everyone else is sweating getting their paychecks.
I don't count Dave's because they reopened. They didn't even close because of no business, the owner just wanted to change concepts. Bice is going to go out because NO ONE eats there.
Wait- does Dave's Barbecue count? I don't think it does. Bull E. Vard you just might win a whole bottle of MD 20/20 if your prediction is correct.
It looks like I may get my prediction correct that Bice Bistro will be the first P&L place to close.
Owen, you're doing pretty good on your predictions as well.
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