A food and dining-style chain reaction was initiated last summer when four St. Matthews eateries were closed at the stroke of a roofing failure on Oechsli Avenue.

Louisville Business First updated the situation last week. It now appears that instead of repairing the roof, the owners of Galleria of St. Matthews have chosen to sell the building amid two lawsuits filed by tenants.

A St. Matthews retail center is facing a new lawsuit as the sale of the property is pending. Galleria of St. Matthews, a strip center on Oeschli Avenue, has been shuttered since a July roof collapse. Many of the property’s tenants have since relocated and two businesses are now suing the landlord.

It all started in July.

A roof collapse has temporarily closed four St. Matthews restaurants. Here’s what we know

Charim Korean Restaurant remains closed. As of mid-December, Half-Peach Bakery & Cafe’s page at Facebook reported no resolution to the roof malfunction, although Half-Peach cookies, brownies and gluten-free snacks are being made available at Safai Coffee, V-Grits and Rainbow Blossom (among others). There is no word on the disposition of Del Frisco’s Steakhouse.

Havana Rumba’s owners already had made plans to move the popular Cuban restaurant to Shelbyville Road frontage, displacing Waylon’s Feed & Firewater and rebranding as Mojito in Havana.

EXCLUSIVE: Havana Rumba moving into former Waylon’s Feed & Firewater space

Havana Rumba and Charim have sued.

Havana Rumba was the first restaurant to file a civil case against Galleria of St. Matthews … the second lawsuit was filed by Charim Korean Restaurant in late November 2019. In an amended complaint filed Jan. 9, 2020, Charim also claims that Galleria of St. Matthews breached contract by not adhering to terms agreed upon in the lease.e to the restaurant. She said she wishes she could move to a new location, but all of her funds are tied up in Charim.

Stay tuned for updates.