Divine Consign may lose its high-profile retail space just north of the Green Line tracks.
Wednesday Journal has learned that the storefront now housing Divine Consign, 111 N. Oak Park Ave., was recently listed for rent. David King, a commercial real estate agent, confirmed that the space will be available on Aug. 1, but he declined to comment further.
Kellie Scott, an attorney and 15-year village resident, opened the furniture resale shop in 2009. It has built a following since then, capitalizing on the economic downturn and residents’ willingness to go green by purchasing and selling used furniture.
Reached last Friday, Scott said she had thought there was a handshake deal with the landlord to renew her three-year lease, which expires July 31. But when King put forth a “triple”-sized rent, she balked. If the storefront is leased to someone else, the owner plans to find a new spot in Oak Park for Divine Consign.
“I don’t own the property, so they can do whatever they want with it,” Scott said. “If it’s up for rent, it’s up for rent.”
King would not comment on whether the rent was tripling in size, though he said his firm and the owner are “absolutely” open to continued negotiations. The property owner, Valerie Carlin, declined to comment.
Divine Consign was so popular when it first opened that Scott added an auxiliary location right around the corner, at 810 North Blvd., a few months later. Scott said the nearby “Annex” space isn’t going anywhere, and she plans on operating in Oak Park for a long time.
“Business has been great,” she said. “The community has been awesome to us. I absolutely love it here and I like Oak Park Avenue a lot.”