Coffee kiosk owner vents to customers about rent dispute
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. - Earl McDonald put up signs on his Firehouse Coffee drive-through kiosk complaining that his landlord wants to double the rent from $1,200 to $2,400 per month.
He said his customers support him 100 percent. They certainly can't miss the signs.
"Over the past 60 months I have paid you $71,000 and in the same time period have profited $41,000 dollars," McDonald said.
But his landlord says the economy is to blame, not him.
"I think we are coming out of this recession but we are going to be faced with higher taxes and inflation and we are trying to curb that," said Dan Fulton, the property's landlord.
McDonald said he is looking at moving down the street to a location with rent even lower than his current rate.
"Nobody has said they will not follow me," he said, "so I am looking forward to the move actually."
This man is a good hard working man. And the people working for him are polite. I am their daily getting coffee and there is no reason to raise the rent. I hear how bad of a business man the car wash owner from other businesses in the area. I wish he would just shut that car wash down then he can shove it up is you know what. and for the comments from IAMHIGH why don't you go back to smoking your dope and stay off these pages everything i read on your comments from other stories are negative you shouldn't even be allowed to post on here.
Good luck to this hard working man!
This sounds like a typical Dutch Bro's scheme. They have done it to many independant operators. They approach the property owner and make him an offer on the location - much higher than current rent. The small guy gets pushed out and in comes Dutch Bro's. Their coffee sucks to top it all off. SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT OPERATORS!!Â
Landlord sounds like a greedy Republican. No one's taxes go up $1200 unless you already have a ton of extra income. Community supports you Firehouse! Good luck with the move stay strong!
@iloveeugene I would go beyond your description of greedy and say that this landlord is basically trying to steal the business value that the coffee owner has built up over the years through his own efforts.
Shirley G
I have lived in this neighborhood for over twenty years and love the fact that one could get great coffee at a nice price. What some don't realize is that the lease of $2400 does not include the kiosk. The Kiosk belongs to the person paying rent. When he leaves he said he will be taking the kiosk with him. So even $1200 for a small piece of concrete sounds horrible to me. Let alone $2400.
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The carwash owner mentions the economy. Well I would imagine that the kiosk owner is facing the same scare.
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So now I need to search for a new place to get my car cleaning needs met.
If I had that 300 square foot shack rented for $1200 per month to someone who had payed me for five years I would be very happy. Now the landlord will likely have an empty shack for a while because there are not a lot of people out there ready to start a business like this especially if he is going to charge $2400 rent .
This guy is a whiner. Just move already, or post it on Facebook. The coffee sucks anyway, and so did the service. I don't care about your problems, because I've got my own. How is this news again?
@XLRG This go's out to XRLG, You are so wrong about this place and you need to just shut up because if he sucked then how then how come he has 100% backing from his customers plus if they sucked would he be out of business by now. This place gives service with a smile and where can you get a cup of joe for an 1.00
@Bluz Produc You must be the coffee shack owner or a close family member cuz you sure do like his coffee. or you just like busting balls with 5 points but i'll go with my first guess ...The coffee shack owner...=))
@iloveeugene @Bluz NO. but I must have struck a nerve..What I do not understand is why you find the need to tell people to suck things and call names.
F.Y.I ..Did you know that coffee can and will make you irritated but you know what will help you relax a nice soothing car wash it will take the cranky out of the biggest babies. have a nice day=)
 @IAMHIGH  @Bluz Yeah derp you must be the carwash owner because all his customers support the coffee shop and the carwash can go suck it and go out of business