DSCToronto
Superstar
Member Bio
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2008
- Messages
- 22,357
- Reaction score
- 36,901
- Location
- St Lawrence Market Area
Not sure I know enough to comment and though I use the Market often do not think I have ever patronised the store.@DSCToronto may have thoughts on this:
Long-time Latin foods shop, Manotas, to be evicted from St. Lawrence Market
Nancy Manotas Ciancibello, owner of Manotas Organics and Fine Latin Foods, said the city has given her a month to vacate her stall in the lower level of the south market building.www.thestar.com
Manotas being evicted on 30 days notice, supposedly due to a handful of late rent payments (all paid in full within 4 weeks of due).
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In reading the story.........I have to say, if the merchant's version is accurate, I don't think the City looks good here.
Rent should be paid on time, of course, and 3 or 4 late payments in under 2 years is a bit on the high side; but if that is the motive here, the appropriate action is a legal letter warning that further missed payments may result in an overdue charge or late fee of 'x'.
Non-payment of said fee, for more than 30 days will be treated as notice of termination, on 90 days notice.
3 or more late payments in one year, may result at the City's sole discretion in termination on 90 days notice.
A tenant of 17 years deserves a warning (or two) and reasonable notice.
Equally, I find it very suspicious that the tenant claims not to have been offered a long term lease since 2019.
I don't want to be unfair to staff, but it feels as though there maybe a petty vendetta going on here.
However, I think there is actually a bit of a problem with how the Market is run as it is part of the large Real Estate Management Division (CREM) which probably makes sense for looking after the 'fabric of the buildings' as they have, or should have, the experience and training for that but maybe not so much for things like retail leasing and advertising and 'public relations'. I think a case could be made to split the management of both the Markets and St Lawrence Hall with CREM continuing to look after 'maintenance & repairs' while Economic Development takes over the retail leasing, advertising, publicity etc. I think that the problem shows up in things like the still ongoing leasing for the new North Market on days other than Saturdays, the fact that the Market tent is still operating (though it was supposed to be demolished in late 2025) and in the Market advertisements that fail to give opening hours!
