A shopkeeper aboard the Queen Mary is fighting to stay on the ship.
In a letter that's been circulating around town, Katherine Gray of British shop Trans-Oceanic said she's been told her lease won't be renewed when it expires at the end of August. The letter urges folks in town to write to Mayor Bob Foster and City Manager Pat West:
Gray, whose business has been on the QM since 2003, declined comment. Jeff Kline, the Newport Beach developer who formed Save the Queen, said that while he is not directly involved with the situation, he is aware that the company that manages the ship, Hostmark Hospitality Group, is entertaining other offers. Kline also said Gray and Hostmark haven't been getting along.
"The manager of the the ship, Hostmark, which we contract with, doesn't think that opportunity is the best opportunity for that space. It's just that simple," Klein said. "He has other people interested in the space both on and off the ship that a) will pay more rent and b) who he thinks is an easier tenant to deal with."
In a letter that's been circulating around town, Katherine Gray of British shop Trans-Oceanic said she's been told her lease won't be renewed when it expires at the end of August. The letter urges folks in town to write to Mayor Bob Foster and City Manager Pat West:
Dear Friends,
Trans-Oceanic on board the Queen Mary needs your help.
As you may be aware, the ship has been under new management for some months now. The management team has, over the course of these months, tried to make life very difficult for us and has now informed us that the lease for Trans-Oceanic's shop on board, which expires at the end of August, will not be renewed.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO GET OUR LEASE RENEWED.
We need for you to write to both Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and to Long Beach City Manager Patrick West and tell them that you object to the way we are being treated and that our lease should be renewed.
Gray, whose business has been on the QM since 2003, declined comment. Jeff Kline, the Newport Beach developer who formed Save the Queen, said that while he is not directly involved with the situation, he is aware that the company that manages the ship, Hostmark Hospitality Group, is entertaining other offers. Kline also said Gray and Hostmark haven't been getting along.
"The manager of the the ship, Hostmark, which we contract with, doesn't think that opportunity is the best opportunity for that space. It's just that simple," Klein said. "He has other people interested in the space both on and off the ship that a) will pay more rent and b) who he thinks is an easier tenant to deal with."
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Not sure if the public can help out in this respect. The leaser has the right to lease the property to any qualified applicacnts. However, it is a shame for investors to shelf out a lot of money to remodel the place for business, only to be kicked out after only 5 years.
I am not sure who will be interested in leasing on the QM though. Parking and QM fee is expensive, no retail nearby and really nothing much to see. If the QM management doesn't make some improvements, I don't they can save the Queen for too long.
BTW: The QM new management really hasn't done anything. Same old, same old except highe parking fee.
Without knowing the details of the conflict between the tenant and management company, it is difficult to understand just what is transpiring, or to support either side. I can say, however, that any new tenant should be very cautious, and understand that, should any conflict arise, their lease won't be renewed. That would, most certainly, be a significant dis-incentive to me.
Lastly, if, as the previous commenter said, the business environment is so bad, why would any business want to come in, or stay? Clearly, Trans-Oceanic is doing well enough to value the lease, otherwise it would already be packed up and ready to leave.