Charleston restaurant owes more than $15,000, supply company says

CHARLESTON – A restaurant supply company has filed suit against a downtown Charleston eatery, claiming it owes more than $15,000 on a promissory note.

Modern Equipment Company Inc. filed the lawsuit in Kanawha Circuit Court against Cafe de Paris LLC and Shelley A. Cuisset.

In the suit, Modern Equipment says Cuisset signed promissory notes for $14,271.61 and for $5,000 on May 12, 2005.

But the defendants have failed to pay installments, according to the suit filed by attorney Michael R. Cline.

Presently, Modern Equipment says it is owed $15,817.42 together with interest from the filing date of the suit until a judgment is entered. Modern seeks that sum plus interest of $3.90 per day until a judgment as well as court costs.

Cafe de Paris is no stranger to problems.

Early last year, Charleston officials forced the French restaurant to change the color scheme on the exterior wall at the corner of Quarrier and Capitol streets because the light yellow shade didn't blend well.

After that, Cuisset didn't like the first color chosen. She had that work stopped before settling on a darker color more similar to the original.

Also, a mural of the Eiffel Tower on the outside of the restaurant was the subject of controversy. A committee of the Charleston Urban Renewal Authority OK'd the painting on the Quarrier Street side of the building after having initially approved a metal tower with lights around it. The Cuissets apparently switched the plan to a mural for monetary reasons.

Before opening at its current location, the restaurant was planned for the 800 block of Virginia Street East. That spot and construction costs made that plan too expensive.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jim Stucky.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 05-C-2853