Trump store owner agrees to leave Huntley location after effort to evict her
The Trump and Truth Store in Huntley will leave its Route 47 location by July 17.
Just before the store’s eviction trial was set to begin on Wednesday, the store owner, her landlord and their lawyers agreed to a settlement.
Among the terms of the agreement are that store owner Lisa Fleischmann vacates the premises by 6 p.m. July 17 and that she pays the landlord’s attorney fees and court costs, which she has done, court records show.
Fleischmann said she picked the move-out date and hopes to be in a new location by late September or October. She also would like to start selling merchandise online.
Fleischmann has previously said she didn’t want her president-themed shop to stay at her current location and has been looking for a new place.
Fleischmann was cited for several alleged local sign ordinance violations in December. Her landlord also has received the same citations for her alleged violations, prompting the eviction proceedings.
On Wednesday, Fleischmann said she didn’t want her landlord to be a villain and added that he was a good guy. She said the store wasn’t about being a moneymaker.
“People want to know the truth,” Fleischmann said. “They support my fight.”
While Fleischmann and some of her supporters believe the store was targeted because of its political content, Huntley officials and Joe Gottemoller, the lawyer for the landlord, have said it wasn’t political.
Gottemoller said the landlord still had pending tickets for Fleischmann’s alleged ordinance violations, which, in theory, could result in daily fines.
The landlord wants to find a new tenant, according to Gottemoller.
“No business owner wants to be fined $400″ per day because someone won’t comply with rules, Gottemoller said.
He said his side was prepared to settle or go to trial.
Gottemoller said most towns have ordinances that regulate the use of business signs like the ones in Huntley.
The eviction case wraps up, but an unrelated traffic case, which briefly prompted a warrant for Fleischmann’s arrest, is pending in court.
Fleischmann was arraigned last week on a misdemeanor charge of driving on a suspended license. An arrest warrant was issued when she missed a court date earlier this month, but it was quashed when she showed up for her following court date. That case is due back in court on Aug. 15.
Fleischmann’s ordinance violation case is due back in court on Sept. 11.