TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Two businesses in Tallahassee's Midtown neighborhood shut down Sunday, prompting them to find new ways to stay open.
"It's just a series of unfortunate events, I would say, that has led to this, but we're going to make the best of it," said Alicia Cartwright, owner of Ponderosa Junction.
She's staying positive after her business was forced to move out of its original storefront in Midtown.
"We're sad to be leaving Midtown," she said. "We loved Midtown and that area, but we found a nice home here in Bannerman Crossings."
Two weeks ago, Cartwright opened the back of her Midtown store to disabled veteran Erick Moody, who runs Mae's Southern Cafe. But when the landlord issued an eviction notice for Ponderosa, Mae's had to close, too.
"The part I didn't like was looking four vets in the face and telling them that I cannot continue to hire y'all," said Moody.
When Mae's opened, the owner of neighboring Orange Theory sent a "cease-and-desist" letter to the landlord. He said they had an agreement four years ago not to bring in any other food service providers.
The landlord told WTXL over the phone that Ponderosa hadn't paid rent in at least four months and that's the reason for the eviction. He said it had nothing to do with the cease-and-desist letter coming from Orange Theory. Ponderosa said it had already reached a verbal agreement regarding rent.
"I would have three months' respite while I got the new concept up and going," said Cartwright. "So, we were going to tack that on to the end of the lease with an addendum."
Ponderosa will now operate from its Bannerman location, and Mae's will run as a food trailer where the business began.
"Hopefully, Lord's will, we'll be able to continue what we started -- and that is to bring great Southern comfort food to Midtown," said Moody.
The food trailer hopes to be back up and running next week, setting up outside City Walk on Thomasville Road.
Ponderosa Junction plans to have a clearance sale to consolidate everything under one roof.
