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Something About Health Departments.
A source claimed Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney put almost $1 million into their “Something About Her” sandwich shop, which continues to face obstacles as the Vanderpump Rules stars delay its opening.
As an insider revealed the shop’s monthly rent, Katie addressed the “frustrating” reason for the delay. Ariana seems more bothered by her friends who’ve had time with her ex-Tom Sandoval. In any case, her non-stop shade toward the cheating ex has earned plenty of merch sales for the shop, even if it doesn’t exist.
According to The U.S. Sun, Katie and Ariana put almost $1 million into the sandwich shop, though its launch was “put on hold.”
The location in West Hollywood formerly housed a restaurant for New American food. One insider, however, claimed the place was a “dump” when Ariana and Katie signed the lease.
The costars have “spent nearly $1 million on the shop,” the source told the outlet, before sharing that the rent is “almost $8,000 a month.”
They’ve been paying it since September of 2022, and allegedly spent a lot of funds on a “pricey” interior designer to create a Paris-style environment in the cafe.
Ariana and Katie ultimately chose Emmy-winning Jon Hutman, a designer who’s worked on several movies for Nancy Meyers.
$300,000 was allegedly spent on the interior, and new problems could result in new costs.
The city told Katie and Ariana that the flooring was “not for open food use,” said an insider. “The entire flooring has to be pulled out.”
“Well if you pull out that flooring, you have to pull out all the furnishings, you have to pull out the refrigeration too because that wasn’t put in correctly,” the source continued. “So now, all of a sudden, after spending $300,000 on a build-out, they have to redo everything. That is what is now going on.”
The insider called it a “clusterf**k” as the partners go “back and forth with the city officials.”
“Taking over this location has been bad luck from the beginning,” the source added. “It’s like it’s been jinxed because it’s always something new.”
“The drama for next season is wild, but what’s even more shocking are all the issues Something About Her has been dealing with,” an insider shared. “Everything about what’s going on with the store will unfold this season and give fans the answers they’ve been seeking.”
They wanted to open in January of 2024, but it was “put on hold” after several issues with the health department. The business is also waiting for a liquor license for wine and beer.
The stars recently faced issues over the store’s sign.
“After the remodeling, Katie and Ariana learned that permit laws had changed, and they had to take down their sign and break down the entire front patio,” said a source. They had to file for a new permit, and proposed a different area for the outdoor dining with a new canopy that the city would permit. They’re now waiting for approval.
Katie addressed the situation on Wednesday while speaking to The Messenger.
“At this point, we’re permit-approved, but we’re just waiting for the physical copies before we can get the final one,” she explained. “We’re like all the other people waiting on them.”
Katie seemingly hinted that the shop has seen internal shifting in the staff.
“We’ve been making some changes as needed … but we’re real excited,” said the star. “I appreciate everyone asking questions and wanting to know when we’re going to open, and I want to keep up that energy, obviously … But it can be frustrating at times. I’m just trusting that the timing is what it is for a reason.”
Her partner Ariana shared, “We are chomping at the bit to get open. Just waiting for all the agencies to sign off.” Katie added that she “freaking hope[s]” the shop will open in 2024.
