J.P. Licks Landlord Sues For Unpaid Rent

JAMAICA PLAIN, MA — Local ice cream chain J.P. Licks is being sued for allegedly failing to pay over a hundred thousand dollars in rent at their Centre Street location.

Kimberly Goldstein, the owner of the brick-fronted building that serves as the flagship location for the Boston ice cream chain, filed a suit through her Zooephebe Realty Trust against her ex-husband in Suffolk Superior Court on Thursday last week.

The suit claims that her ex-husband and J.P. Licks owner Vincent Petryk failed to make rent payments in full during the Covid-19 pandemic last year, despite receiving almost $3 million through the federal Paycheck Protection Program.

Even though Petryk is making payments this year, Goldstein claims that J.P. Licks only made partial rent payments between March and December of last year, still owing $113,000 in back rent.

J.P. Licks' Centre Street location is not only one of the most popular spots, but also serves as the corporate office, production facility and retail store.

The suit says J.P. Licks never fully shut down at any point in 2020 and Zooephebe Realty Trust stated that, "Upon information and belief, J.P. Licks has possessed sufficient funds to cure its breach of the Lease, but it has willfully and intentionally refused to pay its outstanding rent balance."

The chain's 15 year lease is set to expire in 2024.

According to an article from Universal Hub, Petryk and Goldstein were married when they acquired the old firehouse on Centre Street in 1998 to turn into the home of J.P. Licks. After getting a divorce in 2009, Goldstein and a new partner filed a document with the Suffolk County Registry of Deeds taking over ownership of the building under the Zooephebe name.

Goldstein is looking to get her back rent plus damages and attorney fees.

Both Petryk and Goldstein declined to comment on the matter that was first reported by the Boston Business Journal.