Saratoga News

Dolce Vita closes doors suddenly after receiving eviction notice

Relationship contentious according to merchants

'For lease' sign on window

By Sarah Lombardo

One of the Saratoga Village's liveliest restaurants closed its doors May 20, its owner apparently given only about seven hours to clear out.

Sasha Lunginovic, owner of Dolce Vita Ristorante Continentale, said he heard at about 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday that he was being evicted and had till midnight to leave. By Thursday morning, the restaurant's windows were covered with paper, and a "For Lease" sign was in the window. Lunginovic said the eviction was "devastating."

"It is four years of hard work gone," he said. But Lunginovic said he also felt badly for his customers, many of whom had gift certificates outstanding and upcoming dinner and party reservations.

"I feel like I'm letting all these people down," he said.

Peter Uzzi, Lunginovic's attorney, said he thinks Lunginovic was evicted because of landlord Dan Stark's demand to be paid rent by the first day of each month. Since Lunginovic first opened Dolce Vita in 1995, Uzzi said, he has paid the rent between the fifth and the 10th day of each month.

Uzzi admits that earlier this year, a Santa Clara County Superior Court judge ruled Stark could require rent payment on the first of the month as stated in Lunginovic's lease--despite the fact that Lunginovic had been paying later for the past four years. The eviction is the latest event in what many local merchants call a contentious history between Lunginovic and Stark, owner of Big Basin Bistro and the building that houses both establishments. The two men apparently began having trouble when Stark bought the building in February 1997 from previous owner Stephen Flory. At that time, Lunginovic said, Stark said he didn't want to renew the lease for Dolce Vita, which expired Dec. 31, 1997. Lunginovic claims Stark then increased the rent to $9,000 a month for the space.

In February 1998, Lunginovic filed a complaint against Stark alleging assault and battery in a December 1997 incident. As a result of the complaint, Uzzi said, the court in April issued a restraining order against Stark, barring him and anyone working for him from harassing Lunginovic, his employees and any customers or potential customers.

Stark was unavailable for comment, but his wife, Kathie, co-owner of Big Basin Bistro, said the eviction notice was served because Lunginovic hadn't paid his rent since the beginning of the year.

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