Amid ambitious CT restaurateur’s rapid expansion, $43,000 unpaid rent in one city
Ambitious Connecticut restaurateur Gina Luari is on the road to rapid expansion with her flagship Place 2 Be chain, but she may have hit a bit of a speed bump.
Luari is reportedly behind in rent payments on her Place 2 Be restaurant at downtown Hartford’s Constitution Plaza, owing about $43,000 to the landlord, as of Nov. 1, according to documents filed in Superior Court in Hartford.
The Place 2 Be in the Spectra Plaza apartments at 5 Constitution Plaza is one of two in Hartford. The other is the first Place 2 Be on Franklin Avenue that was opened by Luari in 2015. Additional locations are in West Hartford, Springfield and New Haven. The chain, known for its made-for-Instagram, trendy designs and all-day brunch menu, plans to expand beyond New England to Dallas, and likely, Las Vegas.
In the Jan. 11 court filing, Christopher P. Reilly, president of Hartford-based Lexington Property Management, stated: “I am not aware of any payments, setoffs or other defenses which would reduced or eliminate the claims against the defendants…”
Lexington Management is the property management arm of Hartford-based Lexington Partners. Lexington Partners is a major downtown Hartford developer and co-owner of several high profile apartment buildings, including Spectra Plaza. Parking magnate Alan Lazowski, founder and chief executive of LAZ Parking is the managing partner of Spectra Plaza.
When reached, Luari declined to comment on the suit.
The Place 2 Be at Constitution Plaza, near the corner of Columbus Boulevard and Kinsley Street, qualified for a $150,000 grant from the city’s Hart Lift storefront revitalization program. The program was funded by federal pandemic relief funds
In an interview, Reilly said unpaid rent will reach nearly $55,000, as of the end of January, spanning the past six months. In addition to unpaid rent, the suit seeks unspecified monetary damages.
Reilly said Luari, who heads The Statement Group, has not given Lexington Management much of an explanation as to why rent hasn’t been paid.
“That’s part of the reason for the suit,” Reilly said. “A suit, for us, is an absolute last resort. It means we’re not getting the right answers. In this case, we’ve gotten payment a couple of times, and checks bounced, which makes you really nervous as a landlord.”
Reilly said Luari has told Lexington that she is making insurance claims on a flood that took place on the property.
“We’ve said to her directly, ‘Send us the bill. Show us what the damages are. Let’s have a conversation, and she’s not done that,’ Reilly said.
It isn’t clear when the flood took place, or if it was related to a fire in 2022 at the Constitution Plaza eatery.
The fire, which started when a person tossed a cigarette near the restaurant, caused $100,000 in damage to the interior of the eatery at 5 Constitution Plaza. The intensity of the fire blew out the restaurant’s windows, smoke touched off the sprinkler system and flooded the space.
In the last year, properties around the city also suffered back-ups from the city’s antiquated, sewer and water drainage systems, amid heavier than typical rainstorms.
Meteoric rise
In addition to The Place 2 Be, Luari’s Statement Group has pushed its restaurant expansion in other directions at the same time. Luari also has drawn flattering mentions in national business publications such as Forbes.
Last year, Luari opened RAW*, a seafood bar, on Church Street, also selected for a $150,000 Hart Lift grant. She intends to open Charred, a brick-oven pizzeria, on the first floor of the former Pearl Street firehouse, now being converted to apartments. Charred also was selected for a $150,000 Hart Lift grant and could open later this year or early in 2025.
Luari also plans to open a Mediterranean-themed restaurant at The Shops at Somerset Square in Glastonbury in the space formerly occupied by Max Amore.
But plans to open a Mexican cantina at 900 Main St. in downtown Hartford — the space formerly occupied by Dish — did not come together. Reilly, also president of Lexington Partners, said the late Martin J. Kenny, who founded Lexington, could not reach an agreement that accounted for a smooth opening of the cantina while Luari juggled four or five other restaurant projects.
The space will now be occupied by an expansion of The Charles, a Wethersfield restaurant, that could open later this year. The restaurant will be known as The Drake.
Reilly said Luari is a talented entrepreneur who is pursuing rapid growth of her business.
“It is very challenging and difficult to grow like that, and not lose focus on your existing businesses,” Reilly said. “I wish her nothing but the best. I think she’s a very talented person but there are certain economics that go with running businesses that you have to pay attention to.”
Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at kgosselin@courant.com.
