The owner of Mall of America has dismissed its lawsuit against the Sugar Factory, which the mall's owner said owed more than $2 million in back rent and related charges.
The voluntary dismissal was filed Monday in Hennepin County District Court. It was dismissed without prejudice, meaning the mall could re-try the case at a later date if it wished to. The plaintiffs' lawyers did not immediately return a request for comment Monday afternoon.
In the suit filed March 21, it alleges that the Sugar Factory and Lloyd Sugarman, a restaurant entrepreneur and franchise operator, "repeatedly defaulted on their rent obligations, and each time, [the mall's owner] attempted to work with Sugarman, giving him repeated opportunities to cure the default."
An eviction hearing that was set for Tuesday was canceled following the dismissal, and the case is now listed as "closed." Reached by phone last month, Sugarman said there are some "rent discrepancies," and that he believes "we're going to work this out."
The Sugar Factory, which has a location in the Mall of America, has become known for its Couture Pops. The Sugar Factory website touts the lollipops and the list of celebrities who have endorsed them or been seen eating them, such as Britney Spears, Drake, Kim Kardashian and Bruno Mars.
The Mall of America has sued several tenants in the past few years for unpaid rent as some started missing payments during the pandemic.
Staff writer Kavita Kumar contributed to this report.
