COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Inprem Food Pantry continues its fight to stay open after winning in eviction court last week, but faces a new challenge after receiving a new eviction notice on its door.
Inprem Food Pantry on the north side of Columbus thought its fight to stay open was over after winning in eviction court last week. But now, it’s back in a legal battle after a new eviction notice showed up on its door Thursday.
Inprem Holistic Community Resource Center CEO, Alex Eric Abrokwa-Clottey, said he found the three-day notice to leave the premises when he arrived at work Thursday. However, the notice reads it was posted on the premises on August 12th, making Friday the third day.
“It’s very frustrating,” Abrokwa-Clottey said. “And, you know, it breaks the heart of anybody that wants to do good. Being attacked in this manner.”
Abrokwa-Clottey said this eviction battle has been going on for months.
“It’s unfortunate, really,” Abrokwa-Clottey said. “I mean, we’ve been here, we’ve been in this facility for over 12 years, and we’ve never had such a problem with the previous owners. These new owners just bought this property in May, and they just don’t want us serving the community.”
According to Abrokwa-Clottey, his landlord has cited concerns over the pantry’s drive-thru system, claiming it’s a traffic nuisance for other tenants.
“It’s not a matter of we not paying rent or we violating any of the policies because nothing has been brought to our attention in terms of don’t do this, don’t do that,” Abrokwa-Clottey. “We’ve never had any complaints from him, but the drive-thru, which we’ve been doing this for over seven years.”
NBC4 reached out to the landlord’s attorney for comment, but has yet to hear back.
“We can’t leave,” Abrokwa-Clottey. “We don’t know where to go.”
Abrokwa-Clottey said he wants to know what they’re being evicted for if the previous allegations didn’t hold up in court last week.
“It’s not just a business that is generating income,” Abrokwa-Clottey said. “We are taking care of the needy. And these families, for over ten years, have depended on us at this place.”
But Abrokwa-Clottey said they have no plans of leaving because the community needs them.
“In 2025, we have over 11,000 unduplicated families that are coming here to receive help,” Abrokwa-Clottey said. “So how do you tell 11,000 families don’t come back?”
Inprem Food Pantry has notified Legal Aid, which represented it in last week’s eviction hearing. Abrokwa-Clottey said he’s hopeful they’ll help them navigate the legal process as they wait for their next court date.
