Mall claims store failed to pay rent

The Parkdale Mall has filed a lawsuit against the former owner of Whatever! Trendz, alleging they failed to pay nearly $30,000 worth of rental payments.

Parkdale Mall claims defendants Roussel Clement and Mercedes Clement doing business as Whatever! Trendz entered into a license agreement with it on July 31, 2013. Under the agreement, Whatever! Trendz agreed to make monthly rental payments for one year and five months, according to the complaint filed Aug. 27 in Jefferson County District Court.  The license agreement was not supposed to expire until Feb. 28, 2015, but on May 11, Whatever! Trendz emptied their leased space, the suit states. Although Whatever! Trendz was provided with a written notice of the lease termination and Parkdale advised the store that all amounts due under the original agreement would still be due, the store failed to pay the required amounts, the complaint says.

"On or about June 3, 2014, plaintiff's counsel notified defendants that they owed the total amount of $28,292.70 in rentals and fees," the suit states. "Additional charges and fees have accrued since June 3, 2014, and defendants now owe plaintiff the sum of $30,051.12 under the license."

In its complaint, the mall alleges breach of license agreement.

The mall is seeking the money it claims it is owed, plus exemplary damages, attorneys' fees, costs, pre- and post-judgment interest and other relief the court deems just.

Karen Bennett and Christopher D. Leavins of Germer PLLC will be representing it.

Jefferson County District Court case number: B196-056

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Jefferson County District Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it represents only one side of the story.