Love the Grill (Florida Ave Grill)
Donation protected
Like all of you, I was very troubled when I heard about the Florida Avenue Grill facing foreclosure. I was even more troubled to find out that they pay their mortgage every month and an unscrupulous lender tried to foreclose on them anyway . This lender is being sued by the New York Attorney General for defrauding thousands of customers and in 2013 they paid millions in fines for another alleged scheme to defraud over 100,000 people!
At this point the Grill has defended itself legally and the sale scheduled for this week is off. However, to do so they have incurred as of now at least $30,000 in legal fees. They settled because they can’t afford a legal battle with a lender with tons of cash and an appetite for litigation.
I love the Grill and as the oldest continually operating black-owned restaurant in the country, it’s a pillar of the DC community. DC has lost so much already; we can’t afford to lose the Florida Avenue Grill too. So I determined to do something about it. I decided to form “Friends of Florida Avenue Grill” and launch this “Love the Grill” Campaign to help the Grill cover its legal fees and, if more is raised, to help payoff and get completely away from this (pardon the pun...) unsavory lender.
As a seven-year resident of Columbia Heights and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for ANC1B, in Single Member District 08 (2014-17), I am committed to helping The Grill, under the ownership of Imar Hutchins-- a community leader in his own right-- in preserving this historic pillar of our community. Get involved and help us. Meanwhile, talk with your friends and neighbors-- and even go to The Grill yourself and enjoy some of their great food!
Thank you.
Mark Ranslem
At this point the Grill has defended itself legally and the sale scheduled for this week is off. However, to do so they have incurred as of now at least $30,000 in legal fees. They settled because they can’t afford a legal battle with a lender with tons of cash and an appetite for litigation.
I love the Grill and as the oldest continually operating black-owned restaurant in the country, it’s a pillar of the DC community. DC has lost so much already; we can’t afford to lose the Florida Avenue Grill too. So I determined to do something about it. I decided to form “Friends of Florida Avenue Grill” and launch this “Love the Grill” Campaign to help the Grill cover its legal fees and, if more is raised, to help payoff and get completely away from this (pardon the pun...) unsavory lender.
As a seven-year resident of Columbia Heights and former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for ANC1B, in Single Member District 08 (2014-17), I am committed to helping The Grill, under the ownership of Imar Hutchins-- a community leader in his own right-- in preserving this historic pillar of our community. Get involved and help us. Meanwhile, talk with your friends and neighbors-- and even go to The Grill yourself and enjoy some of their great food!
Thank you.
Mark Ranslem
Organizer and beneficiary
Mark Ranslem
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
Imar Hutchins
Beneficiary
