Riggers Loft Wine Company, one of Richmond’s only waterfront food and entertainment venues, may permanently close after the business lost a legal battle with its landlord, the City of Richmond.
According to the Bay Area News Group and a statement from the City of Richmond, the Contra Costa Superior Court recently awarded the city possession of the WWII era warehouse at 1325 Canal Blvd. following a more than year-long legal dispute, likely ending Riggers Loft Wine Company’s nearly decade-long tenancy there.
The city said it took legal action to recover unpaid rent of nearly $400,000, and to address lease violations after making “multiple efforts to find a resolution.” But owners Kevin and Barbara Brown and supporters of the business, including former Mayor Tom Butt, paint a different picture of what occurred, saying the city inflated its debt while inadequately maintaining the property in a long-running effort to force the business out over political reasons. The Browns say they invested millions into repairs of the historic warehouse. They sued the city in 2023 for breach of contract.
According to former Mayor Butt, Riggers Loft “has more than repaid the city’s investment in the rehabilitation of the Riggers Loft,” noting also that the city “enjoys rent-free space for its Port Office” in the building.
Mayor Butt puts the blame for the legal dispute on an anti-business City Council led by the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA), which he says has ulterior motives for the property.
“The campaign of the RPA to oust the Riggers Loft for failure to pay full rent during COVID, is based on petty political motives and misguided aspirations to make Richmond the supply depot for an offshore wind industry that is, at best, years (and hundreds of miles) away,” the former mayor said.
Daniel Butt, the former mayor’s son and the attorney representing Riggers Loft Wine Company, told the Bay Area News Group his clients ultimately lost the legal case due to technicality. Essentially, the city stated Riggers Loft’s close distance to the waterfront required them to provide unrestricted public access to an outdoor space on the property daily, 12 hours a day. The business could not provide that as it only opens four hours per day, Thursday through Sunday.
Brown and Daniel Butt told the Bay Area News Group that the city was unwilling to install a city-managed gate to allow public access.
The city’s statement counters that Riggers Loft Wine Company failed to meet its financial obligations despite “multiple accommodations—including payment plans and rent forbearance during the COVID-19 pandemic.” It says it sought legal action to reclaim the historic warehouse “to ensure the fair management of public assets and maintain the financial sustainability of the Port, which relies on lease payments to fund operations, maintenance, and improvements.”
“The city remains committed to fostering a strong business community while ensuring that all tenants operate under fair and equitable terms,” city officials said.
