Lisa Vanderpump's restaurant Villa Blanca has closed. The restaurant from Vanderpump Rules went into financial trouble after it lost a sexual discrimination case a few years ago [via Daily Mail]. Villa Blanca is now boarded up with a handwritten note taped to the door, indicating the restaurant is closed — for good.
Vanderpump helped make The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills a household name and shined while on the hit franchise since its launch in 2010. During 2019, however, the restaurant owner and former actress abruptly decided she would be leaving the much-loved show behind after numerous fallouts with the rest of the women. The fan-favorite was known for her over-the-top mansion that looked like Barbie’s Dream House and her tiny dogs she loved like children. Villa Blanca was often featured on the franchise as a meeting place for the women who lunched.
According to Tamara Tattles, the famous restaurant has closed down. The outlet reported that Villa Blanca was up for sub-lease. It appears that the owners had been trying to offload the restaurant for years. In 2014, Ken Todd and Vanderpump were dealt a major blow when they lost a lawsuit against the restaurant for sexual discrimination. Due to losing their court battle, the restaurant suffered. The outlet reported that Villa Blanca was indeed bankrupt.
A former waitress filed a complaint regarding a hostile work environment in civil court. It took two years, but a jury ended up awarding the plaintiff punitive damages based on evidence that was presented. The local Beverly Hills restaurant was said to be painted over with white paint so no pedestrian would be able to see inside. There was a sign on the door letting patrons know that the restaurant was being renovated. It appears that the couple has decided to end their ties with the restaurant even though they were getting rent concessions due to the pandemic. Neighbors of the restaurant have suggested that Vanderpump could no longer afford the rent after leaving the franchise, while others bluntly told the outlet that Todd had an immense amount of debt.
Fans are currently worried that Vanderpump Rules could be canceled. If this were to happen, the couple’s debt issues could prove to be catastrophic. Furthermore, the dust is still settling after the fallout from Bravo cleaning house: Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute are paying a much higher price than the two boys, Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni, since the women have lost many endorsement deals for their racist opinions. It looks like fans will have to venture somewhere else for a glass of overpriced house rose.
Source: Tamara Tattles