Save The Life of Riley: Support Our Fight

Dear Community Members/Customers/Friends,

I am reaching out to you with a heavy heart to ask for your help. We never thought we'd find ourselves in this position, but unfortunately, this is the reality we have found ourselves in. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is ask for help, but we have to do that.

Regarding the recent challenges our beloved salon has been facing, we are facing temporary closure of our cafe and potentially our entire business due to landlord disputes that have caused significant financial difficulties.

Whether you know my boss, Stacey Smoker, personally or not, and whether you have stepped foot inside The Life of Riley or not, simply reading/watching our mission statement shows how special it is.

The Life of Riley was designed to make everyone who comes in contact with it in ANY way feel better, empowered, safe, and beautiful—a carefree and luxurious lifestyle for all who cross our threshold. Currently, TLR proudly hosts 11 independent businesses and supports 16 individuals for their livelihoods. 95% of these businesses are women-owned, and ALL are minority-owned, something we are VERY proud of. TLR is also proudly an LGBTQIA Safe Space.

Stacey bravely set out on this journey to create a safe space for ALL of us entirely on her own, with the goal of building a place for community, team collaboration, and she has achieved just that, despite an extraordinarily long list of major challenges, setbacks, hurdles, and full stops.

If you've been in Stacey's world over the last 2-4 years, you know just how difficult this journey has been. When Stacey found our space at 163 W 22nd St., it was in pretty bad shape. The previous business operations were gross, and the space itself was dark, dirty, dank, and just plain icky. However, it had good bones, and that's why Stacey moved forward with it as the first brick-and-mortar location for The TLR Brand. Little did she know at the time that her biggest adversary would not be the gross space, the tacky (and illegal) previous business operations, or getting TLR off the ground. Who in their right mind would ever expect that the biggest roadblock would be the building's landlord? But unfortunately, that has proven to be our reality.

Our landlord is officially fighting against us. He misrepresented the space from day one, withheld pertinent information about the space that should have been disclosed, and is a total absentee landlord. All this has caused Stacey to front significant expenses that should have been the landlord's responsibility just to open TLR, let alone keep it running.

The final hurdle was getting heat. The space was represented as having a working heat and electrical system that were up to code within the last 6 years—this could not have been further from the truth, and TLR has not had heat for its first 2 winters of existence. Trying to accomplish this last goal has proven to be the nail in the coffin.

Stacey has consistently reached out to our landlord to try to engage help, but he has never responded unless rent was due or late. In January through March of 2024, getting heat was priority #1, and that final push and covering building repair expenses for the LL put us upside down. In April, Stacey wrote to our LL asking to negotiate rent abatement or reimbursement of the extremely high amount that she has had to spend, on his behalf, just to get the business space functional. These are all expenses that the LL was responsible for, but has refused to engage on at all.

Stacey's letter asking to work together to solve this issue was received, and the LL responded to her request by serving us with an eviction lawsuit. No negotiation. Just straight to "Get Out".

We are now in a catastrophic financial situation. We are in the legal battle of our life, and we believe that The Life of Riley is worth fighting for. That's why I am creating this campaign and asking for YOUR help!

Without help, TLR will be forced out—a small business that survived the pandemic and GREW during that incredibly challenging time. It’s all so wrong!

Our goal is to raise $25,000 to cover immediate expenses and legal fees. Unfortunately, we can't afford the legal bills that it is taking to fight for our rights. And without fighting, we will be evicted. The LL believes he can get more rent now that we have made the space beautiful, clean, and welcoming and does not care if we succeed. He has actually told Stacey to her face that he doesn't care if the business fails because it would benefit him if it did. But Stacey has put her entire life savings into this endeavor, and it is just NOT RIGHT that the LL could invest nothing and ruin a small business and still benefit.

For me and SOO many others - The Life of Riley has not only been a place of beauty and wellness but a second home. It's where friendships blossom, where we find solace, and where our founder, Stacey Smoker, has poured her heart and soul into creating a nurturing environment. Your support is crucial in helping us navigate this challenging time and ensuring that The Life of Riley continues to thrive as a sanctuary for beauty and wellness in our community. Any contribution, big or small, will make a tremendous difference in our fight to preserve what The Life of Riley means to our community.

PLEASE HELP!

A heartfelt thank you to those who have already stepped up and pre-purchased services or gift cards. Your generosity has provided a glimmer of hope during this difficult period, and thank you for standing with us during this critical moment. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that The Life of Riley remains a place of comfort, beauty, and community for years to come.

Warm regards,

Paulina Valenzuela-Castro

Guest Services/Facilities Manager