Friction remains between the City of West Hollywood and two of its newest celebrity business owners — Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney — according to a new report in The Sun.
A source close to the stars of TV’s Vanderpump Rules shared new details about the ongoing struggle they’ve had trying to run a business in the city, which the source characterized as “extremely difficult and pricey.”
Madix and Maloney are the proprietors of Something About Her, a high-end sandwich shop tucked in the chic alleyway off Robertson. The two spent many months jumping through hoops set forth by City Hall in order to get the shop open.
While they originally planned to offer outdoor seating on the property’s tiny enclosed patio, the city forced them to tear it down to comply with regulations. In December of last year, the duo applied to build a new 20-foot patio; the city approved the application in April.
Six months later, no patio has been built.
In addition to having the highest minimum wage in the country, West Hollywood has developed a reputation for being a hostile environment to do business by dragging out the permitting process.
The owners of Collars & Comb, a luxury dog grooming center on Santa Monica Boulevard and La Cienega held up for more than year, recently wrote to City Hall pleading for help in expediting their opening.
That patio was there for forever. Who ever made them take it down should be fired immediately. Major John, do something for once, get this sorted out right away.