Judge approves eviction order for M Den store in Briarwood Mall

A judge has granted an order for the potential eviction of The M Den store in Briarwood Mall, another sign of financial distress for the Ann Arbor-based retailer and official sports merchandiser of the University of Michigan athletic department.

Briarwood Mall claims that The M Den last paid its $16,666-per-month rent in December, and in April the mall won a judgment against the retailer from Ann Arbor's 15th District Court. At the time, the unpaid balance totaled $66,766.

On Monday, Judge Karen Quinlan Valvo signed an eviction order at the request of the mall's lawyer.

However, the status of the potential eviction was unclear Friday, as The M Den store remained open, staff there claimed to know nothing about any eviction, and the mall's management office was already closed for the holiday weekend.

The M Den made headlines this week amid revelations that multiple vendors and a financing firm claim that the retailer is far behind in paying bills. One of the business owners said he was surprised by The M Den's apparent financial woes, considering the strong demand for U-M merchandise amid the football team's 2023 national championship season.

The largest claim to emerge so far is from a sportswear manufacturer in Kansas that claims The M Den and its co-owner and president, Scott Hirth, of Carleton, owe more than $4 million.

The M Den has denied many of the financial claims in various court proceedings. Neither Hirth nor one of The M Den's attorneys responded Friday to messages seeking comment.

The M Den has multiple stores in Ann Arbor as well as in downtown Detroit and 12 Oaks Mall in Novi.

U-M spokesperson Colleen Mastony said in a statement Friday that The M Den is a completely separate legal entity from the university and referred all comment about The M Den's business to The M Den.

More: Claims of unpaid bills piling up for The M Den

Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Judge approves eviction order for M Den store in Briarwood Mall