FOLSOM, Calif. — A Mexican restaurant in Folsom still operates despite its lease ending in July; the owner says she’s waiting for a legal dispute to be settled in court, but the landlord says the eviction process has already begun.
Q'bole! Cocina & Cantina is a 20-year-old family restaurant located along Sutter Street in the Folsom Historic District. Its owner, Diana Calderon, said her and landlord Moe Hirani were in the process of renewing their lease agreement when talks abruptly shut down in May.
Calderon alleges Hirani’s eviction notice telling her to vacate by July 31 was retaliation for a personal injuries lawsuit her employee filed over the property’s elevator, which reportedly hurt the employee after falling two floors.
“It all happened the same weekend,” Calderon said. “The lawsuit was filed in (Sacramento) County (on) May 10, and May 13 he put the notice up to vacate.”
ABC10 confirmed the employee’s lawsuit was filed May 10 in Sacramento County Superior Court.
Hirani and Calderon reportedly brokered a lease agreement in 2019. When it came time to renew in 2024, Hirani said the restaurant made no indication to renew the lease within the appropriate 90-day period. He alleges Calderon’s claims she emailed him about renewing are false.
“The eviction process has already begun,” Hirani said in a statement. “I would prefer that this play out in the legal system. I trust the legal system.”
Calderon said she wants a judge to rule on which party should pay dues. She seeks to get a $5,000 deposit back and reimbursements for repairs of a broken window, leaking roof and water damage, she said.
“I want to wait it out until our day in court, and I want a judge to decide who owes who money,” she said.
Once this dispute is settled, Calderon said Q’bole will look for a new location, and she hopes to own it herself.
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