The Clubhouse Music Venue and the Horse and Hound Sports Grill officially closed their doors to the Tempe community on March 16 after owners failed to keep up with monthly payments.
Controversy has surrounded Eugenia Ruven and her businesses since March 2, when 16 people were injured during a gang-related shooting outside of the Clubhouse where a Nipsey Hussle concert was taking place.
Christine Pimentel, property manager for Seattle-based commercial real estate company Integrated Real Estate Services, LLC, said IRES and the property owner tried to work with Ruven to give her some leeway with the rent.
Pimentel said prior to the shootings, Ruven had been looking for someone to take over her lease agreement because she didn’t want to run the businesses anymore.
The two spaces in the building are going to be remodeled, Pimentel said, because the property owner wants a new look and plans on leasing out the spaces soon.
“The landlord wants to lease to someone with previous business experience,” Pimentel said.
Tempe spokeswoman Nikki Ripley said after Ruven failed to appear for a March 19 city hearing regarding the business’ potential security violations, the property owner requested the operating permit be transferred to his name.
“(Ruven) got a notice that the revocation is going forward,” Ripley said.
Ruven was cited by Tempe Police on March 9 on suspicion of violating Tempe security regulations and is scheduled to appear in court on April 12 for the misdemeanor charge, Ripley said.
Horse and Hound’s location was formerly home to Sports Rock Café, which occupied the space from 1996 to 1998.
Former partial owner Brad Rosenfeld said slow traffic during the summer months caused the business to shut down. Sports Rock was also selling more food than liquor, which could have resulted in a violation of its liquor license.
Rosenfeld said he’s willing to start a new business there again, possibly a “new wave” coffee shop that stays open late.
He said he wouldn’t serve liquor if he gets the lease agreement to open the business and hopes to bring a non-violent element to the strip mall.
“It’s a great location with a lot of student housing,” he said. “If you’re going to do business in Tempe, you got to be near the students.”
Reach the reporter at sraymund@asu.edu
