While this story has all the potential narrative trappings of David and Goliath, the truth seems closer to the harried dealings of taking care of an elderly relative who has gone fully into dementia with a lawyer's number on speed dial. Last year, CityPlace had a dispute with Brewzzi concerning the language of its lease and took it to court. A settlement was quickly reached, and it has been business as usual for both entities ever since.
That is, until recently, when shoppers and patrons looking to get their lunch fix at the award-winning brewery/eatery found it barricaded by mall security and the lights turned off. As it turns out, CityPlace had not received the satisfaction it had sought and moved in that morning with the Sheriff's Department to try to evict the restaurant from the locale it has inhabited for the past 11 years.
See also: Boca Raton's Brewzzi Wins Silver At National Competition For Passionfruit Saison
Marketing director Archie Stoltz described the proceedings as "odd and unusual" and was so dumbfounded by the irrational actions that he wasn't aware of the fact that CityPlace had removed Brewzzi from its store directory online until he spoke with us. As it turns out, the restaurant was closed on Friday, June 20, until a little after 4 in the afternoon, when it reopened after a hearing ruled in the restaurant's favor. The restaurant is up and running, but "Brewzzi" continues its magical digital disappearing act on its site.
These matters are related to their lease agreement, but as Stoltz pointed out, "Brewzzi has been at CityPlace for over a decade, and there had never been any problems before last year. The court ruled in our favor today, and what they did was not legal. We will fight this because we are not planning on going anywhere."
Brewzzi certainly has that "local guys" spirit, and it is handling this incredibly well, even with a little befuddled amusement. Trying to reach anyone at CityPlace has been an exercise in futility, and the mall's PR people, the O'Donnell Agency, have not returned our calls.
In the meantime, pop in for a nice pint of Brewzzi's Boca Blonde and a Zesty Pepper Burger; chances are everything will indeed be "business as usual," but you might also catch the latest salvo of crazy from the mall.
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