The popular Malibu Country Mart restaurant John’s Garden recently negotiated a lease allowing the restaurant to remain at its current Cross Creek Road location for at least another 10 years. However, due to the rising cost of rent, the business will undergo about a 50 percent reduction in space. Not to worry, the menu won’t shrink along with the restaurant’s size, said co-owner Jim Musante. There will be the same menu and, depending on the amount of space for storage, the same varieties.
Brothers Jim and John Musante, who have been operating the business in its present location for the past 28 years, currently own the restaurant. John’s Garden, originally a fruit vending business started by the Musantes’ father, began operating in Malibu more than 50 years ago.
With remodeling plans, the scaled-down restaurant may no longer have space for the fruit vending that led to the current restaurant’s health-conscious fare in the first place, and owner John Musante is unsure whether he will continue co-operating the business once it gets a makeover.
Malibu locals refer to the restaurant as a “staple” in the community. Many had expressed support for the owners through a letter writing campaign and signing a “goodbye” book when it was learned they might not stay due to increased rent and reduction of space.
The Country Mart is owned by Koss Real Estate Investments.
By Christie Lopez
Special to The Malibu Times
The popular Malibu Country Mart restaurant John’s Garden recently negotiated a lease allowing the restaurant to remain at its current Cross Creek Road location for at least another 10 years. However, due to the rising cost of rent, the business will undergo about a 50 percent reduction in space. Not to worry, the menu won’t shrink along with the restaurant’s size, said co-owner Jim Musante. There will be the same menu and, depending on the amount of space for storage, the same varieties.
Brothers Jim and John Musante, who have been operating the business in its present location for the past 28 years, currently own the restaurant. John’s Garden, originally a fruit vending business started by the Musantes’ father, began operating in Malibu more than 50 years ago.
With remodeling plans, the scaled-down restaurant may no longer have space for the fruit vending that led to the current restaurant’s health-conscious fare in the first place, and owner John Musante is unsure whether he will continue co-operating the business once it gets a makeover.
Malibu locals refer to the restaurant as a “staple” in the community. Many had expressed support for the owners through a letter writing campaign and signing a “goodbye” book when it was learned they might not stay due to increased rent and reduction of space.
The Country Mart is owned by Koss Real Estate Investments.