Chocolatier sued for defaulting on lease

St. Clair Square filed suit against Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate and Matt and Tracy Howland alleging they defaulted on a lease.

According to the suit filed Aug. 13 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, the parties entered into a 10-year lease in which Chocolate was to pay St. Clair Square $3,500 a month for space #197.

Represented by David Kreuter of Clayton, Mo., St. Clair Square claims Chocolate occupied the space from Nov. 1, 2004, until June 30. The lease did not expire until Nov. 20, 2014.

According to the complaint, at the time Chocolate closed it was $7,000 delinquent in rent.

"The lease provides for the acceleration of all rent and expenses in the event of a default," the complaint states.

"Defendants willfully and unlawfully have refused to pay Plaintiff for the unpaid rent," the complaint also states.

St. Clair Square is seeking a judgment for a sum in excess of $480,833.79, to represent the value of monthly rent and expenses, accelerated rent and expenses, interest, late charges, commissions, cleanup and relating expenses and attorney fees.