Thursday, February 23, 2012

Why LaBelle's Country Place Restaurant Closed

Manager Changes Locks And Excludes Owners

LABELLE, FL. -- On August 30, 2011 the manager of the Country Place Restaurant in LaBelle changed the locks after writing to the owners saying "I want to pay you what is owed" and asked for "proof of money invested in the business."

Allegedly, $15,700 was taken from the restaurant bank account when a check was written by Norbeto Daniel Mazzarello to himself.

On September 8th, the company filed suit against Mazzarello to recover the money.

On September 15, the corporation removed him as one of four partners of A Country Place LLC, the corporation running the restaurant. "A County Place Restaurant & Bakery" was an unregistered fictitious name. The restaurant opened for business July 9th.

The three remaining partners were Carlos Lebeau, Pedro Alvarez, and Antonio Colletta, all of Miami. They had filed for incorporation in March, 2011.

LaBeau and Alvarez had interests in Miami's Capeda Corp. and LaBeau in Brown Cafe LLC and Cafe Con Leche At Westland, Inc.
The restaurant company leased the building on State Road 80 in LaBelle formerly the home of Flora and Ella's Restaurant, a landmark eatery in the city of LaBelle for many decades.

A court case against Mazzarello by A County Place LLC shows he originally was a partner with no compensation for his portion of ownership and had no rights to manage the limited liability corporation. However, he apparently did not sign the operating agreement the company filed with the court.

The company signed a lease to rent the building from Fred J. Burson, Trustee at $6,750 monthly beginning June 1 with a $5,000 security deposit due September 1 and and option to buy for $950,000. Mazzarello was one of the signatories of the lease.

Judge John Duryea ordered a temporary injunction November 7th, giving all four partners equal rights to manage the business, with Sherry Mazzarello, Norbeto's new wife, designated to be his representative.

A "total impasse" was the comment of Bruce Waddell, a court mediator after a December 13 meeting of the parties.

On December 20th, Burson got a writ of possession to have the Hendry Sheriff's office evict the company from the building.

On December 28, the court struck the defendant's affirmative defense pleading.

New Company Now Runs Restaurant - Partners Associated With Country Place

About the week of January 16th a new sign replaced the Country Place sign now reading "The Front Porch Restaurant." There is actually no legal company with that name. The corporation actually running the restaurant is a new one called The Heart Of LaBelle LLC.

A Miami duo, Alfonzo J. Cutillo and Nestor R. Colon started the company December 12, 2011 at about the same time the previous owners were being evicted. Coincidentally both corporations have the same registered agent in northweast Miami, Osvaldo Martinez. The name "Osvaldo Martinez" has been involved with 145 Florida corporations over the years.

Cutillo owns Avanti World Rental Car LLC in Miami with the three owners of the former A Country Place LLC, LaBeau, Alvarez and Colleta. Colon owns Cursor Computer, Inc. in Miami.

The new restaurant has not registered with the Florida division of restaurants and hotels and has not been inspected for food safety and sanitation since October 11, 2011 when 7 violations were found including 6 critical violations.

Where Are The Marzarrello's 

Norberto Daniel Mazzarello and Sherry have formed a new company "D.S.M Country Inn Corporation" to take over the restaurant at the Clewiston Inn. The company was formed November 9, 2011, about a month before the Country Place went out of business. The couple lives at Aqua Isles in LaBelle.

Unfortunately, on February 6th, the Division of Restaurants and Hotels inspected the Country Inn at the Clewiston Inn and found 17 food safety violations including 11 critical violations

Daniel Mazzarello also owned Izabella's Bakery in Miami according to state records.

1 comment: