Pantera’s Pizza (7222 Manchester Road) has announced on Facebook that it has lost its lease and will be moving out in late January.
The business says they tried to renew the lease, but changed terms and an increase in rent were hard to meet so they decided to move, though they haven’t found a new location.
They emphasize they are still open, and will remain so through most of January.
They say to check their Facebook page for the latest.
See also: Pantera’s rent quadruples: employee, Building owner: Pantera’s rent doubled, not quadrupled
With the increasing popularity of Maplewood, it’s getting more difficult to find parking for special events. Maybe someone wants to “pave Pantera’s and put up a parking lot.”
Hopefully this is just a case of the building owner charging a rent that is more competitive with other buildings around it, rather than increasing the price per sq ft more than the others. While understandable, I fear rents collectively increasing along Manchester past the point that start ups and smaller businesses – which have made this area more attractive – have a harder time staying.
It seems this lot is pretty small so that would really limit who could come in as well.
Yes, I am very curious about just how far rent was increased to force Pantera’s out without reasonable notice. It’s a good location, but the building is in rough shape. To want to push a long-term tenant out this quickly, they must have some extensive plans for that property where the risk of sitting vacant along with the number of other nearby vacant properties doesn’t seem to be a factor.
I agree that it doesn’t make sense to push out a renter who is paying without a plan in place to make money. It is an interesting point about the building being in rough shape. I wasn’t really thinking someone would demo it due to the lot size but now that has me wondering. Is there any connection to the property owner of this spot and the others around it?
This sounds like a story for Doug Miner, investigative reporter for 40 south news! 🙂
Plan “B” for McDonald’s?