Legal disputes continue over The Place 2 Be restaurants as owner appears in court

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Legal troubles are continuing for the owner of “The Place 2 Be,” who is now in a dispute over the opening of a new business at the Blue Back Square shopping center in West Hartford.

Restaurateur Gjinovefa “Gina” Luari, 33, walked into the Hartford Housing Session on Tuesday for her latest court appearance — this time over nonpayment of rent for a space in Blue Back Square, where she already operates a “Place 2 Be” location.

The space has been vacant for the past two years, and Luari was evicted for nonpayment of rent before “The Bakery by Place 2 Be” even opened.

Luari’s attorney told the judge that she has the $24,000 she owes in back rent and is ready to hand it over to the landlord, who told the judge he doesn’t want the money since Luari has already been evicted. The landlord’s attorney also mentioned that Luari previously wrote a $9,000 check for his client for an account that was closed.

The landlord said the bakery is not ready to open, as the space still lacks kitchen equipment, ceilings, and other essential infrastructure — and that the property sitting vacant hurts the reputation of Blue Back Square.

This is just the latest legal battle playing out for 33-year-old Luari. Earlier this month, she was arrested for allegedly writing fraudulent checks to a restaurant equipment business. Last December, she was evicted from a space in Springfield, Mass., where she operated a restaurant, for nonpayment of rent.

News 8 visited her three remaining restaurant locations — in New Haven, Hartford, and West Hartford — all of which are still open.

The judge will now decide if Luari can open the bakery in West Hartford or take her business elsewhere. Both attorneys declined to comment on the dispute.