Green Leaf Brewing sues Lonsdale Quay, claims lease renewal wasn’t honoured

The landlord says the notice of civil claim filed by the brewery’s owner has no merit

Green Leaf Brewing’s last day open was Monday, Aug. 29. Since then, the space has been cleared out with no posted notice or word from its ownership. Nick Laba / North Shore News

As Lonsdale Quay’s Green Leaf Brewing suddenly shut its doors at the end of August, its owner is claiming that decision wasn’t his choice.

While the corporation managing the Quay’s properties maintains that it’s been working with Green Leaf to keep the North Vancouver craft brewery open, Green Leaf owner Martin Ebadi claims that his business was shut down by his landlord and says he’s taking the issue to court.

In an interview Sept. 7, Quay North president Taylor Mathiesen told North Shore News that Green Leaf had elected to close.

“We don’t have alternative plans for the location because we weren’t planning for the space to be vacant,” he said.

But the next day, Sept. 8, Ebadi filed a notice of civil claim in B.C. Supreme Court alleging that those statements made by Mathiesen are false.

“The tenant (Green Leaf) made every endeavor possible within their financial means, for more than two years, to reach an amicable and realistic solution to move forward as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the provincial government on March 20, 2020,” reads the notice.

“The landlord refused to renew the tenant’s lease for another seven years; and, the landlord would not give an all-cash purchaser a new lease who would take over the business assets and pay the arrears in full which would provide continuous employment for the current employees,” the civil claim continues.

How much in arrears is owed? A penny short of $207,800, plus costs, charges and expenses, according to a notice of seizure that Ebadi said a bailiff served to Green Leaf on behalf of Lonsdale Quay Market Corp.

In the civil claim, submitted by Ebadi himself, he said he told his landlord that he was exercising his seven-year lease-renewal option at a meeting Aug. 20, 2021. Then, the landlord requested Green Leaf submit a payment plan for the arrears as well as a business plan for the “ongoing landlord renovation program.”

In his notice, Ebadi claims he submitted the requested plans, to which the landlord acknowledged receipt and would get back to him, but did not.

“During the ensuing months the tenant made every effort to have the landlord extend the lease for a further seven years and was ignored,” reads the notice.

Mathiesen and Quay North are refuting Ebadi’s claims.

“The landlord is of the position that the claim has no merit, and will be filing a defence in due course. We are unable to comment further on this matter as it is now before the courts,” Mathiesen said in an emailed statement.

A response to a civil claim must be filed within 21 days. Because the landlord was served the notice Sept. 9, it has until Sept. 30 to respond.

Ebadi is seeking reimbursement for income lost as a result of the landlord “depriving the tenant to complete an all-cash sale from the purchaser for the business assets of Green Leaf Brewing Corporation submitted as requested by the landlord.”

He’s also seeking compensation for damages that have “resulted in emotional and mental stress, loss of sleep, anxiety and depression” to him and his employees.

Without any signage at its storefront or sign-offs on social media, Green Leaf closed its doors Monday, Aug. 29 after almost nine years in operation, leaving many former patrons wondering why.

Before the closure, the brewery was considered a local staple that helped kickstart enthusiasm for North Vancouver’s now-booming craft beer scene.

This story has been updated from its original version to include the notice of civil claim filed by Green Leaf owner Martin Ebadi.

nlaba@nsnews.com
twitter.com/nick_laba

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