By Ellen Rugeley
Chicago Sports and Novelty are suing the owners of the Chicago Cubs, the Ricketts family and McDonald’s over a lease dispute. The lawsuit also names Mayasol LLC, a franchisee that operates the McDonalds and North Clark Street LLC, a company owned by the Ricketts family.
Chicago Sports and Novelty is a souvenir shop that for decades has sold Cubs gear out of a trailer in the McDonald’s parking lot across from Wrigley Field. The souvenir company said it has a lease through 2015, but claims the team is pushing it aside to sell its own merchandise on the same spot.
The lawsuit claims that the Pashas, owners of the souvenir company, have signed leases with the previous owners as far back as 1993, and they signed a five-year deal in 2010 that gives them an option to lease the space until 2020. The suit did not specify what arrangement they had prior to 1993.
According to the souvenir company’s website, it also operates at 1153 W. Addison and 332 N. Michigan.
The Ricketts bought the McDonald’s property in November 2011 and told the Peshas that McDonald’s had canceled the franchise agreement with the company that had leased them the property. According to the lawsuit, the Ricketts intend to put up a tent in their place, selling the same sort of merchandise.
The suit claims the company could not accurately calculate the lost profits from losing the prime location, stating that sales at the site fluctuate with the success of the Cubs.
Dennis Culloton, Cubs spokesman, said that the team and a subsidiary named in the suit, North Clark Street LLC, were examining the suit, and that there had been no decision on whether the company would be selling merchandise at the site.
“If there was a lease, it was not disclosed to North Clark Street,” Culloton said.
A spokesman for the Ricketts’ said they “hope the matter can be resolved because they have some great offerings planned for fans” at that location. A McDonald’s spokesperson said the company is looking into the allegations.
The Pesha family is represented by Daniel Ryan of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP.
