PULLMAN, Wash. (Murrow News 8) – Madelyn Dykes’ family was even given a chance.
“It just came out of the blue,” she said.
After a decade of working together, Daily Grind says they were kicked out of their location on South Grand Avenue by the landlord. Problems with Greek restaurant Yai Yai Nikki’s – a business that opened two months ago – led to lines of cars leaking out of the shared lot and into the road.
Daily Grind and Yai Yai Nikki’s tried to separate the two lots with cones, but nothing seemed to remedy the issue. The lot was not big enough for the two of them making the options limited.
Buy the whole lot, lease both sides, or leave.
“We always paid on time. Always were compliant with whatever [the landlord] wanted,” Madelyn said.
However, they were unable to afford the ultimatum. Daily Grind says their half of the lease was given to Yai Yai Nikki’s.
“No notice. We were given about a month to get out of there,” Madelyn said.
After getting kicked out, Daily Grind left up a sign telling customer they were “booted” from the location. They say Landlord Craig Neill asked them to take it down because “it reflected poorly on the community.” Neill lives in Australia according to Madelyn.
“[He’s] not even here,” Madelyn said. “[He] doesn’t see the community, understand the community. And [he] has no idea how much of an impact this had had on them.”
Neill didn’t respond to two separate emails from Murrow News 8. He says these problems were not expected and that he regrets a Pullman business had to close in a statement to Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
Daily Grind has one last location on North Grand Avenue by Cougar Country. Madelyn is concerned the location will struggle to keep up with demand turning customers elsewhere.
“We’re hoping that we’re gonna be a lot busier,” Madelyn said. “Three people in there working together instead of having just two.”
Daily Grind says they are looking into a pre-order system – potentially an app – where customers can skip the line and save time.
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