SOHO — Hampton Chutney won't be rolling dosas on Prince Street anymore this summer
Owner Isabel MacGurn said her landlord "is not renewing the lease" for her Indian cafe and restaurant space at 68 Prince St., and a sign in the shop window indicates it's moving to 143 Grand St.
"I guess the rents in SoHo are going through the roof and he thinks he can just make a ton of money," MacGurn said. "We’ve been there 15 years and he didn’t offer us the option of staying."
MacGurn did not disclose how much she pays in rent.
She said she hopes to open on Grand Street in July.
MacGurn said the move isn't bad: the new space just a few blocks away is bigger and has "probably double the seating." She plans to expand their delivery zone to TriBeCa and further downtown, and stay open later.
"I think the location is great. It’s going to be a beautiful space, we’re really excited about," she said. "We’re going to miss Prince Street, but it’s good because we need more seating. It’s a little tight."
MacGurn's flagship store in the Hamptons is staying open, as is the Upper West Side location, around the corner to from where she and her husband live.
SoHo is a different story, because "the climate has just changed," MacGurn said
"When we came to Prince Street, it was just completely dead," she added. "It was barren, no activity.
"We helped promote that change. It's just unfortunate that businesses like us are getting pushed out."
