A popular Coney Island T-shirt peddler who helped save the neighborhood’s fabled boardwalk from luxury condos a decade ago was facing eviction Tuesday after refusing a massive rent hike — but vowed not to close her shop “without a fight.”
“It’s totally unfair, and we will be taking legal action,” said Dianna Carlin — whose coalition of sideshow “freaks,” burlesque queens and “mermaids” got the city to preserve the eccentric amusement district in 2009.
“This could get ugly, and it’s sad because we had worked so hard to retain the spirit of Coney Island,” added Carlin.
Carlin has been locked in a nasty rent dispute for months with Zamperla, the Italian thrill-ride maker that oversees prime city-owned boardwalk real estate, including the site of her Lola Star boutique.
Reps for both sides could not come to an agreement during a closed-door meeting at Brooklyn Borough Hall arranged by city officials.
Carlin said she offered to pay double her existing rent for the tiny seasonal shop where she’s sold handmade designer T-shirts on the boardwalk since 2001, but Zamperla want her to pay nearly quadruple more to keep Lola Star open.
Under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city rezoned the area in 2009 and plunked down $95.6 million a year later to buy seven acres of prime beachfront land from mega-developer Joe Sitt, who had threatened to boot longtime businesses to pave the way for high-rise condos and a glitzy entertainment complex.
Bloomberg then turned control of Sitt’s land over to Zamperla — including Lola Star boutique — under a long-term contract.
Besides opening Luna Park and other amusements, Zamperla was allowed to set and collect rents for beloved businesses it inherited, which also included Ruby’s Bar & Grill.
The other businesses agreed to rent hikes much lower than Carlin’s after their leases expired last November. Carlin was given several extensions to work out a deal, but the last one expired Saturday, setting up Tuesday’s high-stakes Borough Hall meeting.
Alessandro Zamperla, whose company is seeking the rent hike, said he tried to negotiate in “good faith” and is “disappointed” a deal could not be reached with Carlin.
He also claimed the store owner’s counteroffer is still “below market value,” adding “this development … does not change our commitment to Coney Island, its unique spirit and the community.”
Messages left with the city’s Economic Development Corp. were not immediately returned.
