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Black Business Owner Claims Race At Heart Of Alleged Effort To Bully Him Out Of Detroit

DETROIT (WWJ) - A black business owner says he's being forced out of the "new Detroit."

Darnell Small, owner of the nightclub Tangerine, is in court this week battling to stay in the building he leases on Joseph Campau downtown.

Small told WWJ City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas his new landlord Mark Rieth —who owns Atwater Brewery — has been trying to bully him into breaking his rental agreement.

"He lost his place...It was hard times in the 2000s; maybe he was suffering like everyone else, but he wants his place back and this black man got it," Small said. "I don't think that makes him, you know...comfortable."

Small said he has no problem with negotiating, but he has six years on his lease and Rirth's low-ball offer to buy him out was insulting.

"He won't stop at any length to get the space back, and it's irritating and heartbreaking," Small said, adding that his rent has been paid.

Rirth did not respond to a request for comment; but, according to reports, Atwater claims Small violated his lease by making a late rent payment as well as renovating the building without consent.

Also at issue, Small said, is a parking lot which he leased for his customers from Stroh's River Place. Small believes his inability to renew his contract for the lot is just another part of concerted effort to get rid of him.

"(It's) a move to make it so my customers can't park," Small said. "I told Stroh's and they said they had nothing to do with it, and I said well you guys supposedly signed a petition to get me out...it's in the court document."

Contacted by Thomas, John Stroh would say only that it was a private business deal.

While Small believes this is a racial issue, others say it's all about the Benjamins.

Thomas asked political consultant Greg Bowens.

"It's always about the money, and it's always about black and white. Sometimes the two are inseparable," Bowens said. "One of the things that is true is that perception is reality."

Mayor Mike Duggan, meantime, insists there's plenty of room for everyone.

"There is a lot of commercial space in the city of Detroit that's vacant," Duggan said. "And our economic development team will be working with anybody who loses a lease in any building."

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