The building owner alleges the R&B singer is liable for nearly $49,000 in unpaid rent for the space that housed the former salon Junie Bee Nails, Inc.
Teyana Taylor was named in a lawsuit due to unpaid rent for a New York City space that used to house her former nail salon a couple of years ago. The lawsuit the landlord filed on Aug. 30 in the New York State Supreme Court, which theGrio obtained, alleges that the singer, as the lease guarantor, is responsible for the unpaid rent.
The nail salon that occupied the space was Junie Bee Nails, Inc., named after Taylor’s first daughter, and it was located at 2330 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. in Harlem, in a building that belongs to 2330 Seventh Owner LLC. Monique Taylor, who is also named in the suit, is listed with New York’s Department of State as Junie Bee Nails’ registered agent. The connection is between the two Taylor women is unclear.
The suit alleges that Junie Bee Nails, Inc. signed off on a 10-year lease for the location in February 2017 and that the company owes nearly $49,000 in rent dating back to January 2019. The suit also alleges that the salon abandoned the space on Feb. 29, 2020.
Since Teyana Taylor is listed as the guarantor on the lease that Junie Bee Nails, Inc. signed, the suit alleges that the New York native is obligated to pay the rent owed to the end of the lease (January 2027), or until a new tenant occupies the rental space. Fortunately for Taylor, 2330 Seventh Owner LLC bought the building in February 2020 and the rights to the lease, and then found a new tenant in April 2021.
The suit alleges that Teyana Taylor and Monique Taylor should both be accountable to the plaintiff for $48,739.06, which includes a rent balance of $358.52 as of January 2019, $44,556 of unpaid rent between February 2019 and January 2020 ($3,713 per month), and $3,824.54 for February 2020. The plaintiff is also seeking other monetary relief, such as attorney’s fees and interest dating back to January 2019.
Although Taylor closed the Junie Bee Nails New York City location, the business’s Instagram profile still has the Harlem address listed, and New York’s state department corporations division reports that it remains an “active” business, according to The Grio. In addition, the division’s records show that the company has a past due “statement status,” and lists the next statement due date is Jan. 31, 2019.
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On March 21, 2020, Junie Bee Nails, Inc. announced on its Instagram page that it was temporarily closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and CDC regulations.
A few months later, in June 2020, the business followed up with an update that it would be permanently moving from the Harlem location. The caption mentioned the importance of Black ownership and generational wealth.
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