What is going on with Pimento on the Lake?
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The scene at Pimento on a recent Thursday lunch hour. Photo: Nick Halter/Axios
The taps have run dry at Pimento on the Lake, the Jamaican restaurant that was an immediate hit when it opened on Bde Maka Ska in 2023 but is now facing mounting financial and operational challenges.
State of play: The restaurant is still open, but it's no longer serving alcohol as it has been delinquent on taxes since August, according to a Minnesota Department of Revenue posting. Distributors are not allowed to sell to businesses on the delinquency list.
- Meanwhile, lawsuits are piling up against owner Derek "Tomme" Beevas from banks and his former business partners, alleging he owes them between $1 million and $1.5 million combined.
Why it matters: The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board spent $6.5 million to rebuild the lakeside pavilion. When Pimento opened, Superintendent Al Bangoura said the building would become a "favorite gathering space and a Minneapolis icon."
- It looked that way at first, but problems surfaced last year and have carried over into this summer. Despite the issues, a Park Board spokesperson said: "There is no current plan to seek a new vendor."
Catch up quick: In Pimento's first full year — 2024 — the restaurant reported over $1 million in revenue, a number Park Board staff called promising.
- Last year, that number fell to $750,000 and it remains a far cry from the $1.4 million that Tin Fish did at the location in its last year there, in 2017 (which would be nearly $2 million, if adjusted for inflation).
- Customer reviews have fallen to 3.5 stars on Google, while other Park Board vendors Bread & Pickle, Sea Salt Eatery and The Painted Turtle are each 4.2 stars or higher.
- In the Park Board's annual performance review of the restaurant, filed last fall, staff called Pimento's declining revenue "concerning" and noted that it has received frequent complaints about cleanliness, trash management, and customer service.
Beevas' former business partner, Louis King, sued Beevas in November, alleging that Beevas had defaulted on a $325,000 loan he had given Beevas to buy King out of another company, Lola on the Plaza. A trial is scheduled for February 2027.
- The Metropolitan Economic Development Association filed a lawsuit this past February seeking nearly $1 million in loans, mostly related to Pimento on the Lake, according to the Star Tribune.
- And less than two weeks ago, Sunrise Banks filed a suit seeking $95,000 for default on a 2018 loan.
Beevas still operates his Nicollet Avenue Pimento restaurant, but closed his St. Paul location earlier this year.
- Neither he nor his attorneys responded to requests for comment, though in court filings, he has denied many of the allegations in each lawsuit.
What we're watching: Pimento's lease runs through 2028, and the Park Board said Beevas is current on the twice-monthly payments owed to the board.
- He's also been compliant with lease requirements related to the facility and operations, and has been responsive to complaints, according to the review.
- But the ongoing liquor license issues and lawsuits raise questions about Pimento's long-term future.