Montgomery County Restaurant Takes To Facebook In Effort To Save Business
HUNTINGDON VALLEY, Pa. (CBS) – A restaurant owner in Montgomery County claims he's being forced out of his lease unfairly and has taken to Facebook in an effort to save his business.
John Graff, the owner of the Corner Café in Huntingdon Valley, isn't packing up just yet. He started a Facebook page, "Save the Corner Café," which has more than 650 likes, as well as a petition with nearly 2,000 signatures.
Graff, who's co-owned the restaurant for 13 years, says he was verbally assured for more than a year that his eatery's five-year lease extension, which begins in January 2015, would be honored.
But, he says, when he contacted the owner of the Huntingdon Valley Shopping Center, Kravco, this past May, he was told that was not the case and he'd need to close up shop.
Graff, who also says he put more than $100,000 of his own money into renovating the property and installing new AC units, has hired a lawyer.
"You know, I'm gonna survive, I'm a businessman," says Graff, who also owns two other restaurants in the area. "But don't hurt my community… I've got 14 people that work here, my family, my community…they're devastated. Hopefully, we win."
If not, the Corner Café – a gathering place for the community – may have to close its doors.
Representatives for Kravco had no comment.
