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For the past two weeks, I’ve been regaling readers with the story of DUMBO baker Herve Poussot and the former customer who is suing him.
Poussot was hit with the $1.25-million discrimination suit last month after Elaine James-France said he kicked her out of his Water Street establishment, Almondine, because she is black.
Four days after the alleged February incident, Poussot and James-France’s employer, Sean Richardson, got into a fight after Richardson went to Almondine to demand an apology for James-France.
Words were shouted, punches were thrown, and furniture was apparently kicked around (it’s all in the police report, people) — although the story of who started the fight and who deserves an apology changes depending who you ask.
The end result, however, was the same: Richardson was arrested for assault.
Now Poussot claims, through his lawyer, that the discrimination lawsuit is mere retaliation against him stemming from Richardson’s assault arrest.
But this isn’t the end of the story.
Now, Two Trees Management — a company owned by David Walentas, DUMBO’s biggest landowner — has decided to get involved in hopes of staving off a court battle of near-epic proportions.
I received an e-mail this week from Louise Ehrmann, one of the ladies in charge of leasing for Two Trees in DUMBO.
“Here’s the way I see it,” Ehrmann said. “Two hotheads got mad at each other and it got out of hand physically and verbally. Who really cares who threw the first punch/shove/tackle or lost his temper first? Both were wrong to have handled it the way they did.”
Ehrmann made a suggestion: Richardson, Poussot and James-France should sit down with a mediator and air their differences. No lawsuits, no criminal charges, no punching (at least we hope!).
“For the sake of the neighborhood and to set a good example for their kids and people in general, they need to be made to sit down and sincerely apologize to each other and be adults and put this behind them,” Ehrmann said.
A sensible solution, indeed — even if it does sound like the adult equivalent of a time out. (“Now Herve, you shouldn’t have called Elaine names. Go and apologize. And Sean, you apologize, too. It’s not nice to hit others.”)
Ehrmann is right to want to end this now before it gets any more complicated. But before Ehrmann can convince Two Trees that it’s worth finding a mediator and set up a meeting, all the parties have to agree to it, she said.
So far, Richardson has agreed to participate, and thinks that James-France would be willing to give it a try as well. But getting Poussot’s agreement to participate might be a harder soufflé to bake.
“No matter how this turns out, my client would require a letter of apology for being called a racist,” said Hochberg, who then promised that he would ask Poussot about participating in the mediation.
“I’ll talk it over with him,” Hochberg added.
Stay tuned — I’m all over this story like ganache on a torte.
The Ben & Jerry’s on Atlantic Avenue is still “closed for renovations,” but fret not, ice cream lovers — owner Sven Lapiner promises it will be open again soon. Here’s hoping he’s back in business before the really hot weather hits. …
Brooklyn Heights author and “Jeopardy!” champion Arthur Phillips has released his third book, “Angelica,” set in 1880s London. How about setting one here in Brooklyn? We’re interesting too. …
We hear Uncommon Ground (the newest business to try out the cursed corner of Cranberry) is off to a great start — good coffee, good wine, good food and desserts provided by the Busy Chef? It just might be enough to break the curse. …
We hear condo sales at 110 Livingston are going well. The building is said to be more than 85 percent sold. …
And it looks like DUMBO really is getting to be the city’s “furniture design district.” The BKLYN Designs exhibition will be back in DUMBO May 11–13, with 64 furniture and lighting designers showing their stuff. Maybe all those people who just bought condos at 110 Livingston can drop by.
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
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