Little River bakery says it was ousted to make way for gentrification
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The landlord alleges that a conveyor belt for baked goods (left) and a refrigerator (right) were illegally installed on the premises. Photo: Documents filed in Miami-Dade Circuit Court
A family-owned industrial bakery is suing its former landlord, alleging that it was unfairly kicked out of a Little River property so the area could be gentrified.
- The landlord is countersuing, alleging the bakery operated illegally and let the property deteriorate.
Why it matters: The lawsuit shines a light on fears of gentrification in Little River, which has long been one of Miami's more affordable communities but is being eyed for transformation into a trendy art district similar to Wynwood.
What's happening: Grupo Sur, operating under the name Pastry Express, leased bakery space beginning in 2013 for about $10,000 per month, and made items such as kosher pitas and Cuban bread for restaurants.
- The lease included an option to buy the property with a right of first refusal.
- In 2021, the landlord — an entity tied to investor Matthew Vander Werff, who has been buying up properties and installing trendy tenants in Little River for years — told the bakery owners that another potential buyer offered $4.5 million for the property.
- The bakery owner could not match that offer, which the lawsuit alleges was artificially inflated.
What we're watching: The landlord ultimately sold the property as part of an assemblage of 74 parcels for about $75 million.
- It then partnered with the buyer on plans to develop Little River into a cultural hub.
What they're saying: The bakery's attorney, Robert Stok, tells Axios that instead of offering to buy Pastry Express out of its lease or helping it relocate, the landlord hired an engineering firm, which found problems with the structure.
- The city of Miami in turn declared the building unsafe in August 2022, and the bakery was ousted, even though it had about eight years left on its lease, the lawsuit says.
- Because it needed specialized equipment, the bakery could not easily open in a different space, so it was forced to close and lay off about 30 employees, Stok says.
- The bakery filed suit against Vander Werff's entity, the buyer's entity and the engineering firm, and is seeking seven figures, the attorney says.
The other side: Attorneys for the defendants did not respond to a request for comment from Axios, but court records show they countersued, alleging that the bakery was not properly permitted and had turned down its fair chance to buy the property.
- If the court finds the bakery was improperly ousted, the countersuit argues, then it should award the landlord rent from the date the facility was deemed unsafe to occupy by the city, plus damages.