Stooges company suing Galleria

Buck Wargo

GLENDALE -- A corporation formed of Three Stooges family members has

filed a lawsuit against the Glendale Galleria, and it’s soitenly nothing

to nyuck about.

C3 Entertainment, owned primarily by Stooge family members, has filed

lawsuit April 20 in Glendale Superior Court blaming the mall for the

closure of the Knuckleheads Store on Saturday, 30 months after it opened.

The store, which sold merchandise of Stooges and other classic movie

and TV stars, claims in the suit that Galleria officials misrepresented

the average sales in the mall. Knuckleheads paid $16,400 a month in rent

and spent more than $1 million for fixtures and inventory for the store.

The suit does not specify damages sought.

Phone calls to the Galleria for comment on the lawsuit were not

returned.

The lawsuit also alleges the closure of stores surrounding

Knuckleheads and construction since February reduced foot traffic.

The mall has a plan for stores and other attractions to appeal to

teenagers, which will hurt sales at the store, the lawsuit contended.

“The Galleria is arrogant,” said Robert Benjamin, the son of Stooge

Curly Joe DeRita and legal counsel for the corporation.

“They gave us no notice of what they intended to do with that portion

of the mall. That is why we are left to resolve this in court. They are

used to running roughshod over little people who can’t hire attorneys. We

have enough resources to defend ourselves.

“If there is no foot traffic around here, there is no point in paying

high rents,” Benjamin said. “The Galleria is not treating Stooge fans

kindly.”