Gone Local Owner: I Paid My Rent, I'm Staying

Gone Local isn't going anywhere, at least not right now.

The Amagansett business was told to vacate the Main Street storefront by Thursday, after the landlords, Pat Trunzo and David Saskas, leased the space to another local business. They gave Susan Seitz-Kulick, who only had a month-to-month lease for the five years she ran the business, one month's notice.

Playing into her decision to dig in her heels was the fact that she has had a hard time finding a new location. Rents are high and any affordable space was already rented for the summer season.

Making it more difficult, she said, was that one real estate agent told her that a building owner in Sag Harbor didn't want to rent to her because she read Gone Local was behind on its rent -- which Seitz-Kulick disputes. "I've paid my rent. I was all caught up," she said.

She's taken to her store window at 199 Main St., where she already had a sign blasting the landlords for trying to make her leave during the busiest season. She posted what she said is proof she was caught up on her rent.

Seitz-Kulick showed East Hampton Patch a $3,268 check her bookkeeper sent the landlord on May 11, for the April 15 to May 15 rent.

The check was returned to her in an envelope dated May 17. The word "VOID" written across the check. The back of the check was endorsed, but it was never cashed, she said, adding there was no explanation in the envelope.

Reached on Friday, Saskas said he didn't wish to comment, other than to say, "There are two sides to every story. I'd rather not embarass anyone with anything."

Truzo did not return a call for comment.

Last month, he told Patch, "We feel very badly about the circumstances," adding, "We have to keep the place rented. We need the income to pay our responsibilities."

Seitz-Kulick said she sent her rent due May 15, as well, but it has not been cashed or returned, yet. She said she plans on paying her June 15 rent, too, and will continue to pay rent until she leaves in September.

She hired David Eagan as her attorney.

In the midst of all of this, she said she feels badly for Craig Wright, the owner of Innersleeve Records, which was going to move into the space July 1. His business is currently located across the street in the Amagansett Square. "He’s pitted two local businesses against each other that have nothing to do with each other," Seitz-Kulick said of Trunzo.

"What’s going to happen with Craig now? This has all started because of somebody’s totally being insentitive and having no morals," she said. "I never did anything to warrant this."