According to sources, PUMP Restaurant will be closing in the next 60 days. A report on TMZ states that the closure is due to the expiration of the lease and Vanderpump and her husband Ken Todd are blaming the landlord.
In a statement, Vanderpump expressed sadness over the closure of PUMP Restaurant, which has been open for 10 years. The closure follows the 2020 shuttering of Beverly Hills Villa Blanca, another restaurant owned by Vanderpump and Howard. However, the Tom Tom and Sur restaurants, which are also part of the PUMP family, will remain open.
Reports suggest that the rent increase may be a factor in the closure, with rumors suggesting a triple net lease with a monthly rent of $62,500. Commercial tenancies with triple net terms require tenants to pay their share of property taxes, insurance, maintenance, and other building expenses.
The property is owned by Elie Samaha, who declined to comment when reached by phone.
Samaha is a Lebanese-American film producer and executive who has worked in the entertainment industry for many years. He is perhaps best known for producing a number of films, including “Battlefield Earth” and “The Boondock Saints”.
In addition to his work in the film industry, Samaha is also a real estate investor and owner of several commercial properties, including the building where PUMP Restaurant is located. He is known to be a shrewd businessman and has been involved in numerous high-profile business deals throughout his career.
Samaha’s ownership of Mann’s Chinese Theatre, one of Hollywood’s most iconic landmarks, has also helped to cement his reputation as a major player in the entertainment industry. The theatre has hosted numerous movie premieres and other high-profile events over the years, and has become a popular tourist destination in its own right.
Despite his success in the entertainment and real estate industries, Samaha has also faced a number of controversies and legal challenges throughout his career. In 2011, he pleaded guilty to charges of wire fraud and was sentenced to a year in prison. More recently, he has been involved in a legal dispute with the city of Los Angeles over the ownership of Mann’s Chinese Theatre.
[…] Lisa Vanderpump is now facing a legal troubles concerning the liability insurance for Pump restaurant, which recently announced its impending closure. […]
It’s a cardboard box with olive trees.
Her landlord is a scammer w/Church of Scientology connections! LANDLORD: Elie Samaha – also owns the Roxbury on the Strip. Samaha is a Lebanese-American film producer and executive who has worked in the entertainment industry for many years. He is perhaps best known for producing a number of films, including “Battlefield Earth” and “The Boondock Saints”. Film producer = untrustworthy sleazeball w/money who wants to sleep w/starlets by being a “producer” Scientology was snookered by the producers of battlefield earth who essentially sponged off stars vanity projects (in this case Travolta). They raised 80 mil for BE and spent 40 mil.… Read more »
Vanderpump is opening two new restaurants in Los Vegas because she can’t find another location that fits her budget in West Hollywood? Maybe yes maybe no. Seems odd.
While never a big fan of Pump, it was a great business for the city on a very prominent corner. I fear the rent the landlord expects to get going forward will keep this space open for a few years. Sad.
Seems like the only businesses in this city who can meet the rent easily are pot shops. Guess we’ll get another
I never went to Pump. I never tasted their food nor saw the decor. So I don’t know how good or bad it was. What I do know, though, is that it was the first business that managed to occupy that corner for any length of time. There were so many places over the years that couldn’t make a go of it there! So many businesses, mostly food or drink oriented, went in and out so quickly, that everyone thought that that corner was jinxed! I hope we don’t go back to that again!
Good Riddance! Trashy owners…trashy bouncers…awful food…
I think the Pump landlord just wanted to get the most out of Pump Restarant due to the publicity from the current TV show and the celebrity demand. Vandepump and her husband couldn’t meet the new rent demand,so they are out.
I still think David Cooley will make a move to purchase the building and add it to his Abbey empire.Unlike this Samaha fellow, Cooley knows the neighborhood and will be successful with this addition.
Good news. That whole area needs to be torn down and redeveloped.
No, it’s not good news. Nothing is getting redeveloped. This property is most likely going to sit empty until the owner sells it when he inevitably needs the cash.
So now we will have a big boarded up eyesore at one of the biggest intersections in our city.
What a baseless assessment. The Pump property is in decent shape. Mothelode did a major revamp a few years back opening the front more to the sidewalk and the significant amount of money spent on the king vacant building now occupied by Bottega Louis. Cooley also keeps his establishments fresh.
Would you propose another lifeless mixed use building?
Just to cover rent, they’d have to sell 5600 drinks EVERY day at $15.
(Actually more because they have to buy the alcohol first to make the drinks, and the ice, and the glass and pay a bartender)
That doesn’t cover payroll, food/alcohol, utilities, equipment, or any other line items… just rent.
I’m so tired of greedy landlords destroying popular businesses.
Good riddance – just OK food – tacky decor – and take up most of the corner with their outdoor seating – causing a bottle neck.
I see. So you prefer to have another vacant lot…which will become another garbage eyesore as it was for years before Pump took over?! These comments are embarrassingly pathetic and selfish! Instead of supporting a business which brings in revenue, and presents a pleasurable environment you’d prefer to bash it because it isn’t a strictly gay business. Bigotry works both ways, and those saying good riddance for this reason should be ashamed and grow up! Now it’ll be vacant, for who knows how long, once again. So, you got what you wanted…another empty corner lot.
Is this where I’m supposed to lash out and be offended by a different opinion than mine?
Also, where did I say I had a problem with the clientele?
Exactly. Then after a few years another boring 5 level non descript eyesore to join the rest on SMB. Incidentally another proposed eyesore is to be built on the old La Conversation site on Doheny and Nemo.