La Grange barbecue owner denies his smoke forced boutique closing
By Jane Michaels jmichaels@pioneerlocal.com February 8, 2012 4:40PM
Urban Sole, a downtown LaGrange clothing store is closing. The owners don't like the odor from Q BBQ restaurant next door. | Rich Hein~Sun-Times
Updated: March 17, 2012 8:08AM
The owner of Q BBQ in La Grange denies that smoke from his restaurant forced the closing next door of Urban Sole, due to odors pervading clothing and accessories.
Michael LaPidus said it’s unfortunate the matter has become a public issue, because he attempted to work with Honor Lorenzini and Mary Kral, who own the boutique at 72 S. La Grange Road.
“We have gone above and beyond in putting in a $6,000 exhaust system that gets the smoke up into the air faster, and it’s just unfortunate that they’re closing,” LaPidus said. “It’s unfortunate they’re going out of business, and they’re desperate and trying to lay the blame on everyone else but themselves. I wish them well.”
Lorenzini said efforts to resolve the situation for more than a year with help from the village have been unsatisfactory with LaPidus and building owner John Rot.
“We were powerless and the village was powerless against the landlord,” she said. “Whoever owns the property wins. I know there were solutions; they didn’t want to spend the money.”
Lorenzini said she tried masking the odors with air fresheners, but that made the problem worse.
“Everything smells like smoke or barbecue. We can’t dry clean clothes before we sell them,” she said, adding customers returned items.
“We did OK with the recession by consolidating to one store to survive,” Lorenzini said, referring to a second Urban Sole in Hinsdale, which the partners closed in 2008.
About a year later, LaPidus closed his Roly Poly sandwich shop next door in La Grange and reopened as Q BBQ.
Following two years of dealing with pungent odor problems, grease began streaming down the boutique’s back wall from the ventilation system, Lorenzini said.
“That we are forced to close our doors due to these issues is unfair to us and the shoppers that have supported us with their business over the past seven years,” she said.
Patrick Benjamin, community development director for the La Grange, said the grease problem is more of a maintenance issue between landlord and tenant than a public health concern. The village attempted to resolve the smoke issue as well, but the solution appeared to be expensive, Benjamin said.
LaPidus said he’s not interested to taking over the boutique’s space to expand his restaurant, but will be opening another Q BBQ in another community, which he will announce in the next two weeks.
“I’ve been open for 2 ½ years. In all honesty, if smoke was the only reason for the business shutting down, why aren’t they moving to another location,” he said. “In this building you have the smell of waffle cones and popcorn and burgers.”
Lorenzini said relocating is expensive.
“It takes a lot of money to relocate and build out, and I’m a little afraid this could happen again,” she said. “Mary and I have worked too long and too hard on this store. We need a break and a breather. We should have stayed in Hinsdale.”
Lorenzini, who has been active in promoting the summer outdoor art program and other events of the La Grange Business Association, worked closely with LaPidus in the past while he was president of the La Grange Business Association. Urban Sole has won awards as an outstanding business and for being of service to the business community, she noted.
“While we have always had an amicable relationship with the village staff, it is unfortunate that building owners who have so much power over their tenants and the village is unable to right blatant wrongs being perpetrated by this building owner/tenant,” Lorenzini said.
Rot couldn’t be reached for comment.
Benjamin said Urban Sole and its owners will be sorely missed.
“It was a wonderful store, and they’ve given so much to the community,” Benjamin said. “Honor has been outstanding and Mary as well. She’s phenomenal in her field with a product people like, and she knows how to market and discount it.”
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