Leaseholder changes locks on Bobbito’s operator over rent
Restaurateur disputes claim he owes $12,000
Bobbito’s, a restaurant at Palace and Grant avenues that sought to appeal to downtown Santa Fe workers with $4 breakfast burritos and other offerings, did not last long.
John Dixon, the leaseholder for the space, said this week he changed the locks to keep out the restaurant’s owner, Dave Fitzgerald, who he claimed owed some $12,000 in back rent — something that Fitzgerald disputes.
Dixon also complained that he had to clean up a mess after Bobbito’s short tenure, which began in February.
Fitzgerald said he fell behind in rent because the restaurant had to shut down for more than a month before it could come into compliance with city and state codes, at a cost of $24,000. However, he disputed the amount of back rent claimed by Dixon. He also said he was consulting an attorney.
Dixon said he planned to clean and clear out the space to make room for a taqueria under new owners. Dixon said he was speaking with a few potential new tenants about the concept.
Dixon invited The New Mexican into the restaurant space to show the kitchen floor was covered in grease that had to be scraped off. He also pointed out messy cooking equipment.
The space previously had been occupied by Bad Ass Sandwich Co., which closed after state regulators served a violation notice that said the eatery lacked a permit for catering a holiday party late last year at which dozens of state Department of Health employees claim to have suffered gastrointestinal issues. The company disputed the allegations and said state employees also provided their own food.
Before it closed, that business also changed its name to Kick Ass Sandwich Shop after a Utah-based coffee company with a similar name sued for trademark infringement.
Dixon said he holds the lease for the downtown location and is responsible for making monthly payments of $1,831 to Gemini Rosemont, a commercial real estate firm in downtown Santa Fe.
An employee at Gemini Rosemont said the company legally could not comment on the dispute between Dixon and Fitzgerald.