A decade-long battle between landlord Roger Forbes and Tosca Café owner Jeannette Etheredge came to a head in recent weeks, and as C.W. Nevius reported on Tuesday, signs were pointing to a possible eviction. Today he reports that Forbes has now served Etheredge with an eviction notice, and in true Nevius fashion, he went from sounding sympathetic to the historic bar (because it was getting shoved out by a strip-club magnate) to sounding sympathetic to the landlord (just as he did with the Gold Dust Lounge) once he heard the financial details. Allegedly, Etheredge decided to lower her own rent by a $1,000 after 9/11, claiming she requested a rent decrease but never heard anything back.
Forbes now alleges she is $100,000 in arrears as a result, but he has also offered to forgive the back rent and pay Etheredge $25,000 if she agreed to sell the bar, because he’s frustrated with her mismanaging it. Forbes tells Nevius that he’d like to find a new owner, or a partner for Etheredge, who’ll update the place, make it more profitable, and keep the Tosca name alive. Etheredge’s lawyer and Forbes say they want to avoid going to court, and they hope to work out an agreement in which Etheredge can “continue as the curmudgeonly but lovable face of Tosca.” \
Tosca, amid eviction notice, seeks angel [Chron]
Earlier: Tosca In Danger of Eviction?
