Harrisonburg Café Forced to Close Doors
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Updated: 11:06 PM Jul 30, 2010
Harrisonburg Café Forced to Close Doors
Harrisonburg, Va.
The Water Street Café has been in Harrisonburg for more than a decade, but in 40 days, the café will close its doors.
Posted: 6:16 PM Jul 30, 2010
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The Water Street Café has been in Harrisonburg for more than a decade, but in 40 days, the café will close its doors.

Owner Karen Anderson says her landlord told her Saturday that the café had to leave the building in 45 days.

She says the landlord plans to expand a wine bar located next door.

Her café is a family-run business. Anderson's mother and daughter work with her, as well as four other employees.

"This is a hometown place that I would not think this would happen to. I would have never thought that I was going to come to work, especially my own business, and somebody was going to tell me I have 45 days to get out," says Anderson.

After 40 days, Anderson hopes to reopen the café in a new location. She says she has spent the last week searching, but hasn't found a new location.

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Latest Comments

Posted by: golfn2011 Location: hburg on Jul 31, 2010 at 02:29 PM

booohooo
Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 30, 2010 at 10:35 PM

It is well within the landlord's legal right to stop renting to the business owner, but that doesn't make it morally right.
Posted by: Madisone Location: Harrisonburg on Jul 30, 2010 at 06:45 PM

I am sorry that Ms. Anderson will have to move her business. What type of lease agreement did she enter into with her landlord? If she is renting month to month, the landlord has every right to give her notice. 40 days is, in fact, more than 1 month's notice. It does not matter whether the business is there for 1 year, 10 years, or 50 years. Rights don't increase with the passage of time. They are, rather, limited to the terms stated in the lease contract. Perhaps the real story should be titled "Renter Beware". Like it or not, if your lease is on a month to month basis you are at the mercy of the property owner. Likewise, the landlord is out of a tenant when renters terminate leases. Unfortunately, the type of lease agreement Ms. Anderson had with her landlord was not included in the story.
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