Nisqually Tribe, Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation sued for breach of contract

The owners of Quinn’s Coffee in the Nisqually valley have filed a breach of contract lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court against the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation.

Steve Hanson, who owns Quinn’s Coffee with his wife, Whitney, told McClatchy that in 2018 he signed a 10-year lease with Nisqually Valley Grocery. In 2021, Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation (MCEC) bought the grocery store and the couple was told their lease would be honored.

However, the lawsuit contends that since then, the lease has not been honored and several other issues have arisen.

The lawsuit says MCEC first informed the Hansons in April 2023 that they had $90 in past due rent, nonpayment of late charges, encroachment of a fence on the property and hadn’t provided copies of insurance policies — issues that the couple says they remedied.

“Despite continuing to accept monthly rent, Defendants insist that the Hansons are no longer tenants and instead are trespassing on the Property,” the lawsuit reads.

While the Tribe and MCEC have not filed an unlawful detainer, the lawsuit says that since then they have prevented Quinn’s Coffee from using restrooms on the property, as well as turned off their water and septic systems. Additionally, mail stopped being delivered to the business, according to Hanson.

The now-shuttered coffee stand was shut down in March by the Department of Health. Meanwhile, the Hansons continue to make monthly payments.

“Defendants have limited Plaintiff’s use of the Property to effectively make the Property unusable or untenable,” the lawsuit said.

As a result, Hanson told McClatchy that he had to sell his house and he and his family are looking for a new place for a coffee stand.

The Hansons are seeking monetary relief for damages as well as injunctive relief to prevent the defendants from interfering with their business.

Nate J. Cushman, Tribal attorney for the Nisqually Indian Tribe told McClatchy in an email that MCEC, the Tribe’s business arm, operates the location where the Hanson’s coffee stand sits “as part of its Nisqually Markets chain of convenience stores.” He said that prior to the Tribe’s acquisition of the property the Hansons operated their coffee stand with the permission of the former owners.

“Mr. Hanson’s agreement with the former owners was not assumed by or assigned to the Tribe when the property changed hands,” Cushman said. “The Medicine Creek Enterprise Corporation has attempted to work with Mr. Hanson to find a new location for the espresso stand. Unfortunately, he has elected to resolve the matter through litigation.”

Cushman noted that he was confident the Tribe would prevail in court.

A trial date is to be set in early October.