Is Outdoors Heading Out?
Two large Day-Glo signs in the window of the Outdoors store in Amagansett ask passers-by to stop in to sign a petition to keep the shop in its current Main Street home, but despite the support of more than 400 customers and well-wishers, it appears the store could be losing its lease.
Barry Adelman, who has owned the business for 15 years and had a lease on the storefront for just as long, learned on Feb. 21 that his landlords, Joe and Sal LaCarrubba, would not be renewing his lease.
Mr. Adelman said this week that he was surprised by the turn of events and claimed he had been told more than once in the last few years that he would be able to remain in the space.
“I’m being abused here,” he said, “and so are my employees and customers.”
His customers value the store’s presence in Amagansett, he said. Last Thursday, Charles Reidlinger, a longtime customer, confirmed Mr. Adelman’s sentiments. “I buy all of my work shoes here,” said Mr. Reidlinger, who runs the Montauk Downs golf course.
In addition to shoes, the store sells all sorts of outdoor clothing and gear from jeans, khakis, beachwear, and bathing suits to workclothes, raingear, and beach toys and accessories.
Between April 2 and Sunday, Mr. Adelman had gathered 431 signatures on a petition urging his landlords to renew his lease. The LaCarrubbas are brothers. Their father initially opened a store he called LaCarrubba’s in that location in 1935, and the family ran it for over 60 years, finally selling the business in 1997 to Mr. Adelman.
At an Amagansett Citizens Advisory Committee meeting last week, there was discussion of a possible sale of the property.
As to what’s coming next, Mr. Adelman speculated that a former partner, Steve Schneider, with whom he recently settled a legal dispute, would take over the space.
Reached for comment on Tuesday, Sal LaCarrubba declined to comment. Mr. Schneider also declined to comment, and said only that the LaCarrubbas have a “great reputation,” and, he added with a laugh, “I wish Barry the best of luck.”
Mr. Adelman said that his goal is to resolve the lease issue amicably, but said, “If they don’t talk to me, a judge will have to decide.”
His lease is up at the end of this month.
This story has been corrected from the original version that appeared online and in print.