signed a ten-year lease for its new location on Ninth Avenue and Corona Street — right across the street from its landlord's business, Capitol Hill Liquors.
Katina Gatchis — who owns the building — is legally listed as its handler, but it's her son, George Gatchis, who ultimately oversees much of the business operations.“He’s been nice. He's been kind of a friend,” Rumschlat says, noting how George gifted the shop beers. “It really started when I put the grates up.”
Rumschlat says it’s not fair that he isn’t allowed to place the grates because he has no other way to protect his business. The space formerly belonged to a fried chicken joint, which closed in 2017 — leading to another legal confrontation between the Gatchises and tenants. Craig Caldwell, the restaurant owner, suggested that his lease be transferred to Rashad and Zuned Khan, a Muslim father and son who wanted to open an Indian restaurant in the space.
“I know I’m supposed to get written consent from his mother to do these alterations on the unit, but he was always there, and he never made it seem like I needed to get written consent for anything,” Rumschlat says. “They're right across the street. They've been seeing us pile stuff out back and construction debris going in and out.”
“He says I've damaged them permanently,” Rumschlat explains of the windows he installed the grates on. “I said, ‘Well, I'll replace them in ten years.’”