A seafood restaurant in Clarendon has had its locks changed and the landlord has retaken possession of the property.
A note posted on the door of Seamore’s yesterday (Monday) informed the tenant that Regency Centers has initiated a “self-help eviction” at 2815 Clarendon Blvd, in The Crossing Clarendon shopping center.
A Regency Centers spokesperson alluded to unpaid rent.
“It’s standard procedure to restrict access to a space when there are outstanding or past-due obligations of the lease agreement,” Eric Davidson, Regency’s senior director of communications, told ARLnow. “We tend to work within a grace period to see what can be resolved before we reach this point, but unfortunately this is where things ended up.”
A corporate spokesperson for Seamore’s told ARLnow that “we’re trying to work it out with the landlord and hope to come to a resolution quickly.”
Under Virginia law, landlords of commercial property have the right to initiate the eviction of a tenant “whose right of possession has been terminated … without further legal process so long as such eviction does not incite a breach of the peace.”
“To be clear, the Lease is not terminated at this time and [Seamore’s] remains obligated to comply with all terms of the Lease, including, but not limited to, the obligation to pay Rent through the Term of the Lease,” the posted letter said.
The Clarendon restaurant, which opened in 2022, is one of seven locations nationwide for the New York-based brand. The chain focuses on sustainably sourced offerings, serving “fish you can feel good about,” according to its website.
“We believe Clarendon will love our sustainable seafood, our delicious cocktails, and beachy Montauk vibes,” owner Jay Wainwright said in 2022. “D.C. is closely connected to the Chesapeake Bay supply chain. This made our decision to open our next location in Clarendon a natural one.”
The Clarendon location ranked as the third-best seafood restaurant in Arlington in a recent ARLnow Reader’s Choice poll.
