Soupe du Jour to close after Sunday
By: John Tredrea
Patty Phillips struggled for words to describe her despondency and apprehension.
"I feel like my mind is frozen," she stated quietly late Monday afternoon. "I’m just numb and feel sick about what’s happened. I don’t know what I’ll do next as far as survival goes."
On Friday, state Superior Court Judge Neil Shuster nixed a preliminary injunction that would have permitted Ms. Phillips, the owner of Soupe du Jour, to keep, at least temporarily, the restaurant on Blackwell Avenue, the Hopewell Borough site it has occupied for 27 years.
She said she will not appeal the ruling and will close the business after Sunday.
Ms. Phillips has never had a lease with the property owner, Alec Gallup. She was served an eviction notice several months ago when negotiations over a three-year lease broke down. The negotiations were initiated at Mr. Gallup’s behest last year.
Ms. Phillips wouldn’t sign the lease, she said, until Mr. Gallup made repairs to the building, which has no heat or air conditioning. Among other problems, the broken windows will not stay open unless they are propped up, thus making them hazardous to deal with, she has said, and the exterior has not been painted since she moved into the place in 1980.
The lease would have raised the rent from the $600 per month Ms. Phillips has been paying since she moved in 27 years ago to $800 the first year, $850 the second year and $900 the third year. For his part, Mr. Gallup said in documents filed with the court that he made a number of repairs to the building, including a $14,000 roof replacement last year.
Ms. Phillips filed the preliminary injunction request, just turned down by Judge Shuster, in an effort to prevent being evicted. She said she has not yet decided whether to appeal Judge Shuster’s decision. She also does not know exactly when she will leave Soupe du Jour if she does not appeal.
She said her attorney, Michael Spero, is discussing that with Mr. Gallup’s representatives now, while she looks into such matters as "getting trucks to haul my stuff away."
Mr. Spero could not be reached for comment.
"I’ve been working there more than half my life," said Ms. Phillips, 55, who lives on Hart Avenue in Hopewell Borough, a few blocks from her restaurant. "What kind of entry-level job do you apply for when you’re 55 years old? That’s what I’ve got to think about now."
Neither Mr. Gallup nor his attorney Michael Rowe could be reached for comment. The Gallup side has declined to comment.

