The corporate owners of Convenient Food Mart have withdrawn a landlord-tenant eviction action against an Avoca franchisee, but the store owner now alleges they are taking a “more aggressive” route to forcing him out due to what he described as a personal vendetta.
CF Marts of PA filed a landlord-tenant eviction suit seeking the eviction of franchisee Taffera Enterprises Inc. in January, but the complaint was withdrawn ahead of a hearing scheduled for Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz.
Eric Taffera, the franchise owner of the Convenient Food Mart at 610 Main St., said he learned Monday that CF Marts of PA is now pursuing “a different tactic” and is seeking alternate means of forcing him out.
“They want to double my rent,” Taffera said Wednesday. “I’m going to fight this tooth and nail — to the bitter end.”
Taffera said CF Marts of PA and its parent company, Shiv of PA LLC, are offering him $300,000 to buy out his licenses, equipment and inventory. Alternatively, they are willing to extend his lease and franchise agreement for three years, but only with the rent increasing from $3,900 per month to $7,500, he said.
Taffera said he does not intend to accept either option, estimating that his business is worth up to $1 million — plus inventory — and noting that such a massive rent hike would decimate his livelihood.
“That’s my salary,” he said, characterizing the proposed increase as unjustifiable.
“I have a leaking roof. I have a pitted parking lot,” Taffera said. “How do you justify increasing the rent?”
Taffera said he was informed that rejection of the offers will result in Shiv of PA LLC, which owns the real estate, ejecting both his business as well as its own company, CF Marts of PA, from the location.
“In which case Convenient Food Mart would no longer be subleasing the property to me, because they themselves would be evicted from the property,” Taffera said. “The trick with that is, it’s the same people that own the holding as well as Convenient Food Mart.”
He accused the companies of employing a “cheat tactic” to force him out in retaliation for a “personal vendetta” that began after Shiv of PA LLC bought 35 convenience stores and gas stations, including Convenient Food Mart, from the Gilchrist family for $22.7 million in September 2024.
The animosity began when Taffera accused the company of violating the franchise agreement in ways such as attempting to collect commissions in excess of the contractual 4.5% franchise fee, he said.
“I pointed it out, and it embarrassed them,” he said, adding that he intends to challenge his ouster. “It’s mine and I earned it. I will not just let them steal it from me because their feelings are hurt.”
Taffera said he intends to meet with his attorney, Joseph G. Albert, on Friday to discuss his next steps.
CF Marts of PA attorney Terrence J. McDonald of Dunmore did not immediately return a message seeking comment Wednesday.