Nelson v. Grice

411 S.W.2d 117, 1967 Mo. LEXIS 1049
Supreme Court of Missouri·Decided January 9, 1967·No. 51883·Published·Cited by 17 cases

Opinion

STOCKARD, Commissioner.

Frankie Grice and Frances Grice (hereafter referred to as the “Grice Sisters” or “defendants”) are the owners of a tract of land approximately 330 feet square located on the northwest corner of Glenstone and Chestnut Street Trafficway in the City of Springfield. In August 1963, the Grice *119 Sisters leased to Ralph A. Nelson part or all of this property (this being one of the disputed issues) to be used for the operation of a grocery store for an original term of thirty-one months ending on March 1, 1966. In the lease agreement the property was described as follows:

“A certain store building known as 723 Glenstone and located at the Northeast corner, consisting of approximately 4,354 square feet of floor space together with the area adjacent to the building which is also covered by this lease and which Lessee and his employees and customers may use for ingress and egress and for parking facilities (the legal description of which property shall be furnished by Lessors.)”

The rent for the “building and premises” was stated to be two percent “of the gross sales of Lessor [sic] resulting from the operation of a grocery and market at the leased premises.”

Mr. Nelson operated a grocery store in the building on the premises subsequent to August 1963, and was assisted by his son James who was then seventeen years of age. According to James, his father took care of the “entire lot” and kept the grass cut and picked up paper. The store building was located on the north side, and most of the building was in the northeast quarter of the lot. The eastern portion of the lot and most of the area south of the building was surfaced for use as a parking area. It appears that there was a driveway immediately west of a portion of the building. The area west of the driveway and the parking area was not surfaced but was covered with grass and trees. In the southwest quarter a surfaced driveway extended from Chestnut Street Trafficway northeastward to the parking area. In December of 1963 or January of 1964, some conversations took place between Mr. Nelson and the Grice sisters concerning remodeling or rebuilding, but because of the incapacity of Mr. Nelson at time of trial, subsequently mentioned, and the invoking by plaintiff of § 491.010 RSMo 1959, V.A.M.S., commonly" called the “dead man’s statute,” the record, as may be expected in such circumstances, is not as complete as it otherwise would be.

Mrs. Janie Price, who was employed by Mr. Nelson as a checker in the grocery store, testified that in the “winter months” the Grice Sisters came to the store, and Mr. Nelson “mentioned wanting it [the building] remodeled because of it being run down in places, and the Grice Sisters said they would rather build a new one than spend money on that one because it was in such bad shape.” During the conversation, according to Mrs. Price, Mr. Nelson “mentioned that the new store would be bigger” than the existing building, and the Grice Sisters, “agreed” that it would, and they also said that they would let Mr. Nelson draw up the plans for the building. Mrs. Price then testified that Mr. Nelson said: “Then, the rent will be the same as this one?” and that the Grice Sisters said “yes, it would be the same as that one, that he had a good business there already and that he would make more money in a larger store, with a bigger volume.” She further testified that Mr. Nelson said “that he would like that [to be put] into a contract before he would move into a new store,” and the Grice Sisters said “it would have to be a new contract because it would be a different building,” and they told him “not to worry about it, they would straighten it out later.” Mr. Nelson expressed some concern about his financial ability to stock the larger store, and the Grice Sisters told him that they were “sure he could get the money somewhere, or they would help him.”

Work was started on the construction of a new building on April 16, 1964, and the building was completed and ready for occupancy on July 1, 1964. This new building was located in the southwest quarter of the lot owned by the Grice Sisters, and was on that portion which previously had been covered with grass and trees and which had not been used for parking. *120 During the construction Mr. Nelson conferred with the contractor and made suggestions concerning the new building. The contractor testified that the Grice Sisters told him that the new building was to be for the use of Mr. Nelson, and he heard them say “the more he makes the more we make.” At the trial it was stipulated that the construction of this building was commenced on the authority of the Grice Sisters and that it was contemplated that it would be for the use of Mr. Nelson to operate a grocery store.

In the spring of 1964, after the construction of the building was “pretty well along,” according to Mrs. Price, the Grice Sisters went to Mr. Nelson at his store and handed him a paper. After he read it, Mrs. Price heard him say, “five hundred dollars,” and then say to the Grice Sisters, “You told me I could have this [the new building] the same as this building.” Mrs. Price testified that “they,” meaning the Grice Sisters, “agreed, and said yes, but the new store would be a bigger store than that one.” Mrs. Price testified that at a later time, but prior to June 1964, the Grice Sisters again went to Mr. Nelson at his store and handed him another piece of paper. After Mr. Nelson read it he said: “You come in here — you tell me I can have it the same as this one, then you come in here with five and now six hundred; I told you I couldn’t pay five, I know I can’t pay this.” According to Mrs. Price the Grice Sisters did not say anything in reply, “they were standing there, smiling.”

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Nelson v. Grice, 411 S.W.2d 117, 1967 Mo. LEXIS 1049 (Mo. 1967).

411 S.W.2d 117 (Nelson v. Grice) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

Kaufmann ex rel. Kaufmann v. Nagle
807 S.W.2d 91 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1991)
Breiding v. Wells
800 S.W.2d 789 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1990)
DeLong v. Osage Valley Electric Cooperative Ass'n
716 S.W.2d 320 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1986)
Kwoun v. Southeast Mo. Pro. Standards Review Org.
622 F. Supp. 520 (E.D. Missouri, 1985)
Muse v. Woyner
698 S.W.2d 26 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1985)
State Ex Rel. Division of Family Services v. Standridge
676 S.W.2d 513 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1984)
State Ex Inf. Danforth v. Kansas City Firefighters Local No. 42
585 S.W.2d 94 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1979)
Golston v. Lincoln Cemetery, Inc.
573 S.W.2d 700 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1978)
Smith v. Standard Oil, Division of Amoco Oil Co.
567 S.W.2d 412 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1978)
Hood v. Naeter Bros. Publishing Co.
562 S.W.2d 770 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1978)
Bildner v. Giacoma
522 S.W.2d 83 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1975)
Kuehner v. Denny Loan Corp.
518 S.W.2d 94 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1974)
St. Louis Union Trust Co. v. Bethesda General Hospital
446 S.W.2d 823 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1969)
Williams v. School District of Springfield R-12
447 S.W.2d 256 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1969)
Warrem v. Parrish
436 S.W.2d 670 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1969)