Nine small businesses at Clermont’s Downtown Exchange have been told to pack up and leave by the end of the month, leaving owners scrambling to recover investments, find new locations and keep their businesses running.
The businesses, including On the Go Pickleball, Sappore di Napoli and A Little Hello Co., received a termination notice last month. The notice ends their leases under a termination-of-convenience clause in their agreements.
For A Little Hello Co. owner Dawn Mancuso, the Downtown Exchange was meant to be a steppingstone. She opened there about a year ago to expand her business, with hopes of eventually opening a storefront.
Now, she said she has to move out after spending thousands of dollars to build out the space.
“We’re losing our income,” Mancuso said. “I am lucky that I can operate online and recoup some of that. I think the biggest heartbreak for us all is that we’ve invested thousands of dollars to build these spaces out.”
Mancuso said the sudden change has left business owners with few options.
“We can’t collect unemployment as business owners,” she said. “So, yeah, we were scrambling to figure out what to do next.”
Some owners said staying in downtown Clermont may not be financially possible. Mancuso said rent in the area can run between $3,000 and $5,000, with first month’s rent, last month’s rent and a security deposit often required upfront.
“We’re priced out of the market down here at this point because it’s becoming so popular,” she said.
Customers said they are disappointed to see small businesses leave a downtown area known for local shops and unique offerings.
“That’s why it’s hard to see something really good go,” Clermont resident Shelly Sookchan said. “It’s always good to have a variety of different places to shop and to get stuff that you can’t get anywhere else.”
The landlord is not required to give a reason for ending the leases under the agreement.
In a statement, the landlord said:
“Each lease at the Downtown Exchange contained a termination-for-convenience provision allowing termination on 30 days’ notice. Every tenant received 45 days – 15 more than their lease required. No tenant was terminated in violation of their agreement, and no tenant received less notice than they were entitled to.
Out of respect for the tenants, I’m not going to discuss the terms or circumstances of any individual lease publicly. Several of these operators ran good businesses, and I’ve told them I’ll help where I can on relocations, timing and return their deposits promptly.
There is a lease agreement in place with Divino Market, LLC. Questions about that company, its ownership, or its plans — are for its principals to answer, not me.
Plans for the property will be announced once they’re finalized.”
The landlord said there is a lease agreement with Divino Market. The following is a statement from the company:
Thank you for the opportunity to respond.
“Divino Market, LLC has leased space at the Downtown Exchange and expects to open later this year.
The business we are opening is new and has its own concept. It is not an expansion of any existing restaurant. We aren’t prepared to discuss it in detail yet, and we’ll share more once we’re ready to announce it publicly.
We were not a party to any of the existing tenants’ lease agreements and had no role in them. Questions about those agreements — their terms, the notice given, or how they concluded — are for the property owner and the tenants involved.
We think highly of the independent businesses that make downtown Clermont what it is, and we’re mindful that this is a hard stretch for the operators affected.
We’re a local small business investing in Clermont. Our goal is to build something that employs people here, contributes to the local economy, and adds to downtown.”
For now, the affected business owners have until Sept. 30 to move out and determine what comes next.