To Momin Naushad, who goes by Sam Momin, and wife America Torres, the central issue in the dispute with their tenant involves parking. The owners of the Alba Food Mart and the center where it resides showed The Leader numerous photos of a tight parking lot on more than one occasion in recent months. And while some might argue that there is no need for more parking in an 8,000 square foot structure with only two tenants, the couple said it won’t remain that way for long.
Momin confirms the COH permit records which indicated that plans were submitted in October for a “8,000 square foot retail storefront and remodel” of the property.
“We have to upgrade it, for ourselves, for the neighbors, and for the community,” said Momin, who noted that the taxes on the building continue to go up. HCAD appraised the property at $369,279 in 2013. By 2016, the appraisal was at $600,000 and last year it was $796,467.
Momin showed The Leader plans that had been drawn up by their architect and said they are in the bid process for a contractor to take on the job. He said they are prepared to spend up to $1 million on the remodel. With Alba Food Mart as an anchor on one side and Slowpokes on the other, there is 4,000 square feet of space between. Momin said this could be four different tenants at 1,000 square feet each, or a different configuration depending on the tenant.
“We need to renovate it to attract more good tenants,” said Torres, who noted that the transformation of the area in recent years was a driving force in their decision to renovate the building.
The center has been owned by the Momin family since 1992. They say in the past the center has housed a flower shop, a church, a washeteria and a hair salon, although it has been vacant in recent years.
“The reason they left is because rent went up, because the taxes went up,” said Momin. “We didn’t kick anybody out.”
Momin said that he has been approached by numerous developers over the years to sell the property, and that he has no intention of doing so.
“We love the neighborhood,” Momin said. “We don’t want to sell it.”
Momin said that when Slowpokes was first signed as a tenant he gave them the 4,000 square feet patio for free.
“We gave them the patio because we wanted them to be successful,” said Momin. “We wanted them to build their business.”
Momin said he understood the patio was going to be more on the scale of a Starbucks patio, with a handful of tables and chairs. He said he was surprised at what the patio became as a driver for traffic. Momin lists the movie nights and other events, such as goat yoga, as events that would continue to fill up the parking lot. Later, Momin said that Slowpokes offered them $250 a month for the patio space after they told their tenants that parking had become an issue.
“It is not about the money,” said Momin. “It’s about the principle of the agreement.”
Momin said that Slowpokes is having 8 to 10 parties a month. “I feel like they got greedy,” said Momin. “When we add more tenants, there will be no room left for parking.”
As for Slowpokes problems with the state of the current building, Momin contends that when the tenants signed on they made the choice to take the building as it is. He also disputes that the lease price for any interior spaces was going to be $45 per square foot.
“We never told Slowpokes about a lease price,” said Momin.
Finally, he says he paid the Slowpokes owners back for the plumbing work they had done in the building. And he says that he has never approached the Slowpokes owners or their real estate agent about renegotiating the lease.
What is in the contract, according to what Momin showed The Leader is a provision about who owns the patio: “Tenant shall have the right to procure and exclusively use the outdoor, green area and 4 parking spaces directly south and adjacent to the Leased Premises for patio space and children’s playground. Landlord shall have the right to recapture the outdoor space with 6 months’ notice, only if Landlord is going to make improvements or expand the retail center building or parking.”
What is not in the contract is any parking stipulation about the rest of the building’s parking spaces and this, from the couple’s perspective, is what has caused the current impasse.
“We asked them on three to four separate occasions not to block the gas station parking,” said Momin. “They told us that parking was not in the contract.” Momin also showed The Leader photos of what they believe is a car belonging to one of the coffee shop owners directly in front of their store.
“They were purposely blocking it to harass us,” said Momin.
Momin also says that Slowpokes and their lawyer told the couple that they could not put up ‘no parking’ signs at the gas station.
Momin said that Slowpokes was given 48 hour notice to clear their own patio but that when it wasn’t done, he sent a crew to do so. Momin said he spent between $5,000 and $7,000 to clear the patio this weekend. He is aware of Slowpokes contention that he didn’t have proper permits, but says he called the city two weeks ago and was told that since the patio was not attached to the building, he didn’t need permits for the work. He said he wouldn’t hesitate to get the $200 permit if he had been told he needed one.
As for the trees, which are adjacent to the patio, Momin said he has no plans to cut them down at present.
“Those trees have been there since we owned it,” said Momin. “If we wanted to cut them down before now, we would have done it.”
Momin and Torres say that they don’t use Facebook but they have heard about what is being said about them from friends and family.
“We wanted people to know what our plans are,” he said.
Slowpokes documented the dismantling of their patio on their Facebook page during the weekend. Slowpokes co-owner JC Rubiralta said that the city arrived Monday morning and red tagged the demo site requesting the landlord contact them.
Rubiralta said that their current plan is to stay in the center. “We have been approached by a few of the developments nearby who are interested in working together,” said Rubiralta. “We also met with Revive last week. They wanted to squash any rumors of them being involved in the current situation. They kindly told us that this is not the case… It was an appreciated conversation.”
Revive, who is developing the property adjacent to the center, released a statement on their Facebook page regarding the matter that read in part: “We’ve also heard from more than a few neighbors concerned that our Stomping Grounds development was impacting the Slowpokes situation. We’d like to emphatically assure you that this is completely untrue. We don’t personally know, or have had any interaction with the developer who owns the Slowpokes property. There are NO plans to connect the two spaces. The only access to our development will be through 34th. Not Alba.”
Rubiralta said that some neighbors are storing some of their benches and sheds.
“We can’t thank the community enough for their support. We are humbled to serve it any way that we can for years to come.”
Allison says
The Leader News – Follow-up article requested after today’s devastating events… BOTH trees are gone.
Momin, what do you have say for yourself re: “As for the trees, which are adjacent to the patio, Momin said he has no plans to cut them down at present.
“Those trees have been there since we owned it,” said Momin. “If we wanted to cut them down before now, we would have done it.”
Michael says
As a close neighbor of Slowpokes and the eyesore Alba Food Mart, I am very disappointed at how the landlord has handled this situation. I’ve heard both sides of the story and think that Sam Momin is making some serious mistakes in his business decisions. Yes, it’s his property to do as he wishes, within the law and his contract with Slowpokes. But I also have choices when I spend my money. I will not shop at Alba Food Mart or any other business that moves into the building, other than Slowpokes. I urge other neighbors to do the same AND let Sam Momin know of your decision. (See Slowpokes’ Facebook page if you want to hear their side of the dispute.)
MyTwoCents says
Everything I read about this until now was one-sided, but now, I have to take the owners/landlords side. He shows exactly what was agreed upon, and apparently the tenants, Slowpokes, is trying to take advantage of something they don’t have rights for, and get their patrons worked into a dither on their behalf. The story distinctly said that the Landlord could take back the patio with six months notice if they had plans to expand . . . Who in the world would invest a lot of their own money into a patio knowing it could be undone with six months notice? I’ve never been in either Slowpokes or the convenience store, but now I feel compelled to stop at the store just to show them some support.
And, no doubt many of the people that go to Slowpokes could easily walk or bike there, but don’t. If they did, this whole situation could have been a non-issue.
Those of you that say you’ll continue to support Slowpokes, but not the owners’ store, might try to stop focusing on emotion and be a little more pragmatic. The owners have legal standing, and, unless Slowpokes has a very long lease, they may not be tenants for very long. Landlords have the right not to renew leases so unless both parties reach a real accommodation, it would probably be best if Slowpokes just moved.
DeAndre Peoples says
I will contine to be a customer of Slowpokes but will never frequent any of the storefronts the Morins establish.
quentin haag says
I am a garden oaks resident. I have always been cordial with the employees of the foodmart, but the center was frankly an eyesore before slowpokes moved in, and the vibe and feeling of the area has improved.
I hope the landlord will reach an accommodation. I cannot imagine that having slowpokes next store would not be be a draw to other businesses. It seems strange that the landlord didn’t seem to do squat with the land until slowpokes improved upon it. I will boycott the foodmart and any subsequent tenant until some agreement is made that includes my kid having a place to play under the trees again. I am sure that I have spent a great deal of money at the foodstore over the years as it is on my way to work. Until this, I would grab gas and then coffee at slowpokes. Slowpokes adds to the business of the food mart. It does not detract. I hope others will follow suit. Slowpokes added to the number of businesses in our neighborhoods that makes GOOF a truly exceptional area to live, frolic, and raise children in houston.
Jennifer says
I will not give my business to anyone in this shopping center other than Slowpoke’s. What business would want to move in here after all that has transpired?
Jillian says
My family watched Slowpokes buodmout the patio with permits for months. Our neighbors and friends were so excited to finally have a safe, fully fenced in patio area where our children could play safely while we got to know our neighbors over coffee or a great meal. To say the unpermitted destruction of the space at 4 pm two Fridays ago was heartbreaking to the neighborhood. I was there having a coffee while my son kicked a soccer ball o. The grass when men either chainsaws started sectioning the fence. There wasn’t a permit for this ams the work was purposely done when the landlords knew a city official would not be free to come out. Many of us have pictures of the electrical company truck and the workers who came to do the work. Many have video. I was also there the next day (Saturday) when they stared pulling wires for
The exterior of the building and along the fence line. The landord does. It understand that not one of us who are terribly upset have a dime invested in Slowpokes. We are just saddened that we lost the only place like it in our neighborhood.
it was taken away to spite the tenant. BUT, it hurt the community residents more.
I would like to know why the owners
Of Alba Food mart do not understand that?
I go in to Slowpokes daily and every time I am there I hear conversations by people sitting and eating about what a disservice was just done to all of us.
I have photos of the trailer that backed in to the gravel area where many of us were sitting the following today. To remove the overhang patio cover. I was there when a patron outside called 911 because she and her assistant were sitting right where the man was pulli wires from the ground and he power was not cut off to the building.
The landlord’s wife was there instructing. I have photos. She told the fire department she had necessary permits. She lied. The proof was the red tag placed on Monday by the city.
I have contact information from many other witnesses who have no other interest in this other than losing something we loved.
Please contact me with any questions, more testimony of events, videos or photos needed.
Please help us let Mornin know that the neighborhood will protest with out wallets. So many will never step foot in his mini mart again. BUT WE LOVE SLOWPOKES and will continue to give them out business.
Leader, can you please cover this from a resident’s point of view ? We would love to be heard
David LeBlanc says
Thanks for posting the owner’s side of the story. To me, the real issue is all of this should have been in writing first because both sides gave the gestures and verbal agreements different meanings. Everything should have been clearly spelled out for both sides.
Jason Hochman says
I love Slowpokes and will miss the patio. It should be a good thing that the place was crowded, and the parking lot was full. However, it also kind of proves my point that all of these places that are supposed to enhance walking and bicycling around the neighborhoods, are, in fact, drawing more vehicular traffic, in spite of what Mrs. Cohen may tell you.
Carolyn says
I hope the damages of Slowpokes is finally complete. Their gorgeous patio is destroyed, their outdoor area is in shambles and most of all, our hearts break for everyone in our little coffee shop. Slowpokes successfully created a beautiful space for Houstonians to enjoy coffee, snacks and a calm working environment. They have customized events to create community and health, alongside communication and dedication within the city. This coffee shop has heart, which is hard to come by and I truly hope these landlords do not destroy all their efforts in keeping this area full of generosity, shopping local and most of all, love.
Mike T says
Personally I’m with Slowpokes in this one. Haven’t shopped at Alba Food Mart since this went down and don’t plan on it….