Circle K Stores, Inc. v. Zillman

827 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128303, 2011 WL 5244705
CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedOctober 31, 2011
DocketNo. Civ. 10-6389-AA
StatusPublished

This text of 827 F. Supp. 2d 1251 (Circle K Stores, Inc. v. Zillman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Circle K Stores, Inc. v. Zillman, 827 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128303, 2011 WL 5244705 (D. Or. 2011).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

AIKEN, Chief Judge.

Plaintiff Circle K Stores, Inc. (Circle K) filed this diversity action against defendants seeking declaratory and injunctive relief and specific performance based on [1253]*1253defendants’ breach of contract. In the alternative, Circle K seeks damages for breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing. Defendants now move for summary judgment on all of Circle K’s claims, and Circle K moves for partial summary judgment against defendants with respect to Circle K’s claim for breach of contract. Defendants’ motion is DENIED. Circle K’s motion is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

BACKGROUND

Circle K is in the business of operating convenience stores and fuel stations throughout the United States. On November 27, 1970, Circle K and defendants’ predecessors in interest entered into lease agreements (the “Lease”) for two separate properties in Salem, Oregon. Under the Lease, Circle K became a tenant at the two properties, which are located at 4781 Liberty Road SE and 2904 12th Street SE in Salem, Oregon (the “Leased Premises”). Circle K operates store number 2701278 at the 4781 Liberty Road location (“Store 1278”) and operated store number 2700411 at the 2904 12th Street location (“Store 411”).

The original term under the Lease was 20 years, with the original lease term ending on November 26, 1990. The Lease also provided Circle K with a renewal/extension option at the end of the lease terms. Further, the Lease granted Circle K the “right of first refusal” with respect to renewing or extending the lease terms and with respect to leasing or purchasing the property if defendants received a higher offer from a third party. See Lease, ¶¶ 3,17 and Addendum.

On March 21, 1991, Circle K and defendants entered into two agreements (one for each of the properties), each entitled Lease Amendment and Extension Agreement (“First Extensions”). Among other items, the First Extensions changed the rent payable to the landlord and extended the terms of the Lease an additional ten years, through November 26, 2000. The First Extensions also granted Circle K options to renew the Lease for a period of five years each.

On January 20, 2000 and February 7, 2000, Circle K provided defendants written notification of its intent to exercise the first options under the First Extensions, which extended the Lease through November 26, 2005.

On March 8, 2001, Circle K and defendants entered into two agreements entitled Second Lease Amendment and Extension Agreement (collectively, the “Second Extensions”). The Second Extensions further modified the Lease.

On October 15, 2004 and October 27, 2004, Circle K provided defendants written notification of its intent to exercise the second options under the First Extensions, which extended the Lease through November 26, 2010. No additional extension option remained for Circle K to renew at the end of this lease term.

On February 3, 2010, Circle K sent defendants a letter requesting a five-year extension of the Lease, with two additional options to renew the Lease for five years after expiration of the new lease extension. At the time, Circle K was not aware of any effort by defendants to market or otherwise replace Circle K as a tenant at the end of the lease term. Defendants never responded to Circle K’s letters.

On July 20, 2010, Circle K again sent its February 3, 2010 letters to defendants. Around the same time, defendants retained a broker to market the Leased Premises.

Circle K representatives spoke with defendant Richard L. Zillman on or around August 20, 2010 and reiterated Circle K’s intent “to exercise its right of first refusal [1254]*1254on the Leases.” Circle K maintains that defendants refused to engage in any meaningful negotiations with Circle K regarding extension of the Lease or a new lease of the Leased Premises. Defendants dispute that characterization.

In response to a demand from defendants’ broker, Circle K obtained independent broker price options for the Leased Premises, which it provided to defendants’ broker on October 20, 2010.

On November 10, 2010, defendants’ broker rejected Circle K’s offers and stated:

[Defendants have] received offers that are significantly higher than that made by Circle K and at this time, [defendants feel] a counter-proposal would be unproductive.

Wilson Deck, Ex. P, p. 8.

Later that same day, the defendants’ broker rejected Circle K’s offers and stated:

The [Defendants are] not interested in discussing any continuation of your occupancy at either location, and expect that you will be vacating the spaces on November 26th, 2010 per the terms of your existing lease. There is a new Lessee who may be interested in discussing acquisition of the FF & E within the stores to save you the expense and hassle of removing those items prior to you vacating.

Wilson Deck, Ex. P, p. 2.

In response to defendants’ disclosure that they had both received other offers and entered leases with a new tenant, on November 10, 2010, Circle K made a demand on its right of first refusal and requested that defendants produce the third-party leases for evaluation: “As per the terms of our lease, we have a first right of refusal. Once this [offer from a third party] is presented to us for evaluation we will either elect to exercise or vacate.” Circle K’s Memo, in Support of Circle K’s Cross-Motion, p. 10 (doc. 57).

On Tuesday, November 16, 2010, defendants disclosed to Circle K two letters of intent, one for each of the properties. Each letter of intent is dated November 8, 2010, and each letter of intent appears to be signed by a third-party lessee. However, when disclosing these letters of intent to Circle K, defendants denied that Circle K had a right of first refusal:

These documents are being sent as an accommodation. Lessor does not acknowledge that Circle K has a valid First Right of Refusal. Any First Right that existed, expired 6 months prior to the expiration of the original lease term, in 1990.

Wilson Deck, Ex. Q, p. 1.

On November 17, 2010, Circle K attempted to exercise its alleged rights of first refusal by accepting the terms in the November 8, 2010 letters of intent offered by the third-party lessee.

On November 18, 2010, Circle K filed this action and sought a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order, claiming it accepted the letters of intent and that defendants refused to negotiate in good faith. On November 22, 2010, the court granted the temporary restraining order. Also on November 22, 2010, defendants disclosed two partially-executed leases for the Leased Premises (the “Third-Party Leases”).

On December 1, 2010, the court held a hearing on Circle K’s motion for preliminary injunction. At the hearing, defendants produced fully-executed copies of the Third-Party Leases, which showed the leases were entered on November 9, 2010.

On December 6, 2010, 2010 WL 5101940, the court found a likelihood of success regarding Circle K’s rights of first refusal and granted the preliminary injunction, thereby allowing Circle K to continue renting the Leased Premises so long as it pays [1255]*1255defendants the rental amounts offered under the Third-Party lease.

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Bluebook (online)
827 F. Supp. 2d 1251, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 128303, 2011 WL 5244705, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/circle-k-stores-inc-v-zillman-ord-2011.