Owner of Former Brook House: ‘Eviction Unfair’

An attorney representing the owner of Rockwell Cuisine, which took the space of the former Brook House, said they are preparing to serve Eagle Realty Holdings and Gloria Rocchio, president of the Ward Melville Heritage Organization, with a lawsuit claiming contractual interference and extortion.

The eatery officially closed earlier this month after being given an eviction notice by the property's landlord. 

A statement forwarded to Patch by a spokesperson for Rockwell Cuisine says the option to renew their lease was executed properly and that the landlord has unreasonably turned away three buyers.

The statement reads in part: “In reference to the judge’s decision, Rockwell Cuisine did properly execute their option to renew and was granted a stay of execution to allow Rockwell continuance on working with additional offers.”

Brian Doyle, an attorney from Farrell Fritz, which represents the Ward Melville Heritage Organization and Eagle Realty Holdings, has said that said Rockwell Cuisine Concepts failed to follow the terms of their lease, which expired in June. According to Doyle, a state Supreme Court judge ruled that Rockwell Cuisine Concepts had not properly exercised the option to lease and so they were denied the option to renew.

The spokesperson also said that three offers were made by local restaurateurs and they were denied.

“Regarding the eviction that took place on Tuesday, this was just a classless tactic that Ms. Rocchio and Eagle Realty deployed to make a statement to the village and reaffirm they had the upper hand,” said a spokesperson speaking on behalf of the owner who wished not to be named. 

“This has ultimately backfired for them. Rockwell Cuisine had packed up and moved out days earlier and when the sheriff arrived they removed only broken equipment, vendor owned freezers, garbage and sadly, 30 years of personal property Rockwell was storing for the previous owners.”

Locals have shared their sadness at the restaurant’s closing, which follows this summer’s closing of another Stony Brook Village restaurant, The Dish, and lamented eatery's absence on black Friday weekend. The owner said he also agrees the timing was unfortunate.

“To bring this on a week before Black Friday, the kickoff to the holiday season including the tree lighting ceremony was completely absent-minded. Disappointing not only to the current tenants but the village customers who look forward to the holidays in the village.”

Doyle said all the landlord is looking to do is see their businesses succeed.

“Nobody rooted for him to fail here,” said Doyle.  “All the landlord wants is for people to be in spaces and succeed. Nobody feels good he failed.”

Marie Gilberti, communications manager for the Ward Melville Heritage Organization said they are seeking to fill the space with another restaurant but had no word yet on who or when.