NBA star James Harden’s Houston fine-dining spot is in limbo after it was locked out over unpaid rent.
Midtown Scouts Square Property posted a sign on the door of Thirteen claiming Thirteens Hospitality Group owes $2.2 million in rent, Bisnow reported. The sign, which was dated Sept. 1, says the owners can get a new key when the debt is settled.
Before terminating the lease and locking the doors, the landlord notified the restaurant of its lease violations Aug. 21.
Midtown Scouts Square Property also filed a lawsuit against Harden and the hospitality group, claiming at least $1 million in damages. In the lawsuit, the landlord claims the lease ended in July and both parties agreed to extend it through October. It alleges the owners still failed to make monthly payments after the extension.
The 15,000-square-foot steakhouse and hookah lounge opened at 1911 Bagby Street in 2021. The restaurant featured a variety of Southern-inspired dishes.
The shooting guard opened Thirteen on the tail end of his nine-season stint on the Houston Rockets. Harden reportedly kept close tabs on the restaurant venture after departing Houston for Brooklyn. He now plays for the Los Angeles Clippers.
Midtown has long been considered a popular nightlife destination in Houston, thanks to its walkability — a rarity in the Bayou City. The area has been the target of redevelopment in recent years, with the demolition of an infamous McDonald’s location and the relocation of a Greyhound station,
The chunk of Houston that includes Midtown is a bright spot in the city’s multifamily market. It fetches the highest rents in the city, averaging $1,800 per month, according to the Greater Houston Partnership. Lately, investment sales have been strong in the area, too. In June, Denver-based Bow River Capital picked up the 337-unit Camden Midtown at 2303 Louisiana Street, rebranding it as Hadley Midtown Apartments.
— Eric Weilbacher
Read more
Camden offloads Midtown multifamily in $750M selloff
Houston all in on life science
Bye-bye, infamous McDonald’s, hello progress
