Successful Hispanic Restaurateur faces eviction

FROM MONTERREY, NUEVO LEÓN| Jesús Silva, restaurateur at risk of being evicted. (Picture/El Comercio Colorado)

JESÚS SILVA’S LANDLORD- THE GOLDEN MILL- APPLIES PREDATORY PRACTICES TO PUSH HIM OUT OF BUSINESS.

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Restaurateur Jesús Silva, owner of three Asian food outlets in the Golden Mill, has a lot to worry about right now. “My problem now is that my landlord [The Golden Mill] have changed the rules of the game in a hostile way. I have a valid contract with them until April 2024. I have the option to renew my contract at the end of that period. They are now telling me that my contract is not valid and that they need me to vacate the premises where my restaurants operate,” says Silva.

This Hispanic entrepreneur continues his story. “My landlords threaten me with immediate eviction. They want to force me to sign another contract that is not beneficial for me. No operator or restaurant owner would sign something like what they want me to sign. It doesn’t make sense because we have a contract. They possibly have the idea that it’s easy to run these kinds of restaurants. And possibly they want to operate it themselves. It’s my impression.”

Fabricated violations

The Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (COHCC) ensures that the property owners of Silva’s restaurants use “intimidation tactics.” “[Landlords] are demanding to terminate their current agreement based on false breaches. The Golden Mill owners are clearly fabricating breaches to force either an eviction or to force a renegotiation with predatory terms, either of which is for their personal benefit,” the COHCC press release states.

“Predatory landlords who prey on small businesses are bad for the economic recovery of our state and yet so often victimize Latino business owners. The Golden Mill owners are not holding up their end of the bargain, changing the rules,” said Mike Ferrufino, CHCC President. “Given the devastating impact that the termination of the license agreements would have on Mr. Silva, his business, and the livelihoods of the families that depend on it, we will continue to use our resources to ensure the Golden Mill owners change course,” added Ferrufino.

Unanswered

Until the closing of this edition, the representatives of the Golden Mill did not respond to our request about the reasons that put the stability of the Silva restaurants at risk. However, Silva explained to us that for a few months, his landlords have begun to make observations about the management of the business. “They have questioned me for reducing the number of workers on days with low customer influx. It is logical that small restaurants take measures to stay afloat,” said Silva.

“They have those objections. But, it cannot go further because we have tripled the income of the restaurants”, the restaurateur adds. Silva speaks appropriately because he has 35 years of experience in the restaurant business. “I started in the kitchen in my native Monterrey, Nuevo León. I specialized in Mexican and French food. When I got here, I fell in love with Asian food, and I learned how to prepare it. Right now, I have three restaurants in the Golden Mill and another three in McGregor Square, all with Asian food.”

Ask for support

The eviction and closure of the Silva restaurants would affect some thirty working families. “I have a lot of people working for me. They have been with me for many years. They are good and loyal workers and the last thing I want is to damage their emotional and financial stability. Likewise, that instability would come to me and my own family. I don’t want a big conflict to be created where we are all harmed. All of us, the migrants, came to work and we do that every day,” he said.

Silva leaves a message for the Hispanic business community. “Be careful and seek advice when making your contracts. I have been paying a high rent, I agreed with that. But suddenly my landlord doesn’t feel like it’s enough. They have created a hostile environment at work and a lot of stress. That affects me and my workers. We thank the COHCC for their support and ask for the solidarity of the entire Hispanic community,” concluded Silva.

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