"I just want folks to know that the whole neighborhood is going to crap"

Quite a piece by Shefali Kulkarni in Runnin' Scared about the soon-to-close Village Fabrics.

Here's a chunk of it:

In June, Pamac Realty filed suit against Kurban Ali Kokan, the store's owner, after Kokan did not pay $27,400 in back rent. The Kokan family claimed that the store had water damage that was never properly repaired. The suit ended on August 9, when a judge ruled that Kokan must pay the back rent with interest and vacate the building. Pamac's attorney created a stipulation that reduced the amount to $20,000.

But that's still too much money, says Kokan's wife, Cemile, who is currently working at the store with their son Sadik. (The Kokan's rent was $4,400 each month for the last five years, during which business slowed down, her husband fell ill, and medical bills needed to be paid.)

Then Pamac Realty posted a For Rent sign above the storefront. "He came one day and he said 'pay or ship out' -- those were his words," Cemile says. "I'm not blaming him, but some of things he does are unfair. He's not a bad landlord, but he's fed up with me too. I guess 18 to 20 years doesn't count."

Cemile, 65, wipes tears from her eyes as she sells a few yards of brown vinyl to a customer. "I'm sorry," she says. "It's just that there's been no peace in my house for a while," she tells the customer. "We are getting older now, my husband is 80. We still have a mortgage to pay. What are we going to do after this?"

"I just want folks to know that the whole neighborhood is going to crap," Sadik, 33, says. "I mean [my parents] are senior citizens, you know? We're just tired of being honest and loyal, when apparent greed is all that matters. This just shows you what is happening to our community now."

Pasquale Coppolechia, the president of Pamac Realty, says that the tenants were never a problem, when they were paying the rent. He says the Kokans were at least eight months behind in rent and that after their 10-year lease expired, they went on a one-year lease and eventually a month-to-month one. "We offered an installment plan as well," he says. "I know they were going through some 'apparent' difficulties and that they were clearly struggling, but even these negotiations just took up time."

Coppolechia says that there are already businesses interested in the First Avenue location. "We've been collecting several requests from the broker, pardon my French, but they were like flies on shit."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Closing sale at Village Fabrics

Village Fabrics to close next month