Jimmy John's to get $15,000 from City to Move

A relocation forced onto popular Kent sub shop won't happen without a slight reimbursement from the city.

The restuarant will get $15,000 from the city to help make a move necessary for of the Portage County Municipal Courthouse.

The cash for moving expenses, approved Wednesday night by Kent City Council, comes with two conditions: the restaurant must relocate within city limits, and it must be out of its East Main Street location by June 1 so the county can start construction on .

"We just gave $250,000 to build a courthouse that wasn’t our responsibility," Councilwoman Tracy Wallach said in reference to on the new courthouse. "I see no problem giving $15,000 to help an established business stay in Kent."

Chad Maag, a co-owner of Kent's Jimmy John's, initially asked the city for $250,000 to help with relocation expenses, which he estimates could cost as little as $250,000 or as much as $430,000.

Maag settled on asking for $15,000 after city administrators suggested council might be in favor of a lower amount. City officials also asked Portage County leaders to split that $15,000, but county officials declined to aid the restaurant financially with its relocation.

Kent Economic Development Director Dan Smith said, based on the restaurant's annual payroll, the $15,000 would be repaid in slightly less than three years through the eatery's income tax payments.

In a memo to council, Smith said the restaurant is planning to move two blocks west further into downtown. He said a lease has not been signed yet and declined to identify a specific locale.

"I can’t tell you exactly where the location is yet," he told council.

The owner of the building, Akron-based Schweigert Properties Inc., filed an eviction notice in November to force the business out to make way for the new courthouse. In December, both parties reached an agreement that lets Jimmy John's stay until May 31 before it has to move out.

Maag said the three spots he was considering all were in older buildings and will need, at minimum, major updates to plumbing and electrical utilities for the restaurant. The relocation costs, combined with an initial $400,000 investment in buying the restaurant in April 2010, gives the eatery owners an almost $800,000 total investment cost, he said.

"Kent’s a great location," Maag said. "We’ve increased business over 40 percent, and we haven’t done anything different.

"We were blindsided by this," he said. "We’re not opposed to moving. It’s just, who’s going to help us move? Can we relocate and keep this thing going with the debt load?"

Councilman Garret Ferrara said giving the $15,000 in relocation money sends a message to business owners investing in downtown Kent that council supports them.

"It’s a small amount of money to send a large message that Kent is business friendly," Ferrara said. "We care about the people who are there.”