SAN DIEGO — Update (May 24):
The Crystal Pier Bait & tackle shop will no longer close after Memorial Day on May 31. Instead, they're allowed to stay open until July 22. The shop has been a fixture in Pacific Beach for 13 years but was given just a two-week notice to vacate by the neighboring Crystal Pier Hotel and Cottages.
The shop's owner, Pam Taylor told CBS 8 that she was asked to pay an additional $1,000 a month in rent - or leave by May 31.
After our initial story aired, Pam says she had the busiest day she's ever had, with people driving in from all over the county to come support her shop. One anonymous woman even donated $1,000 to pay that extra rent.
According to Pam, the hotel did not accept the money but is allowing her to stay 60 days, which is required by law. Her last day to operate the shop is July 22, 2022.
Original story (May 20):
A longtime fixture on Crystal Pier is set to close this month, and the owner tells CBS 8, she's being forced out.
The Crystal Pier Bait & Tackle shop has been open since 2009.
According to the owner, she's been given just two weeks to vacate after not agreeing to terms of a new lease.
"People love this place. It's breaking my heart," said Pam Taylor.
For Taylor, the shop isn't just a business, it's a place that holds a lot of memories both for her and the people it serves.
“There's not a day that goes by that people don't come in here and tell me how this is the first place we visit, the kids couldn't wait to get here. We've been coming since we've come to San Diego," said Taylor.
Taylor's son started the business in 2009, after he learned to fish on the pier as a kid. In 2017, he died.
Taylor has been running it ever since.
“I consider it to be my son’s legacy. This shop sat vacant for many years and he went through all the hoops to get this opened," said Taylor. "His main ambition was to help single moms when they came out here with their kids to go fishing. That was what he wanted to do because when he was young, I was single,"
CBS 8 did a story with Taylor back in January, after she obtained surveillance footage and used social media to track down the driver who hit her grandson while riding an e-bike in Pacific Beach.
As for her shop, it's considered part of the Crystal Pier Hotel and Cottages, which leases the land from the City of San Diego.
As part of the original agreement, instead of paying a standard rent, Taylor's son gave 10% of his monthly gross income to the hotel.
That money was then turned over to the city.
After he died, Taylor claims she requested her name be added to a new lease, but was given the run around.
Since then, nothing has changed.
That is until May 15, when she received a letter from the hotel telling her to pay an extra thousand dollars a month on top of the 10%, or leave by May 31.
“It's impossible for me to pay that rent. All I ask for was to be considerate and follow the law and give me at least a 30 or 60 day notice, not a 15 day notice to vacate. Now, I won’t be able to be here through my busiest season,” said Taylor.
CBS 8 reached out to both the hotel and the city. By phone, a hotel manager referred us to the city.
By email, a city spokesperson said:
"While this is a dispute between Crystal Pier and their sub-tenant, the city has reached out to both parties in the hopes of facilitating resolution. Based on available information, the city consented to a month-to-month sublease in 2014 and notice to vacate was issued to the sub-tenant by Sept. 30, 2022."
Taylor isn't hopeful her business will be saved.
But, the worst part she says, is breaking the news to her customers, especially the youngest ones she's watched grow up.
“I don’t know how I'm gonna tell some of the little kids i won't see them anymore. It's gonna break my heart,” said a tearful Taylor.
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