When leasing commercial real estate in the South Loop I get a call from Roland Burris, that he would like to see some space in The South Loop. He makes an appt. for 12:00. I wait for him to show up. Usually brokers dont wait more than 15 minutes.
I waited until 12:45. I had called his office at 12:30, left a message and then called and left a second message at 12:45, saying I was leaving, but my office was at 22 W. Madison and if he is in the area I would grab a cab and come back over.
Later that week, the owner of the company calls me into his office and says that Roland Burris called him and said that I blew him off for an appt and that racial overtones could have been the reason according to Mr. Burris.
I was shocked and even told the well known owner of the company, that I knew who it was and stayed much longer than usual, and left messages offering to show it at anytime.
So I showed it to his daughter the following week. She wanted to open a candy store. she ahd never run a candy store or any other business before. We only had one vacant space and I was working on a deal.
Long story short I gave my BUSINESS RECOMMANDATION of the business I thought would be a better fit and would last.
Needless to say, Mr, Burris was not happy when we told him the space was gone. He threatened a bunch of shit against the company and whatever business would open there. We then had to disclose the issue to the new tenants before they signed the lease and they had no issue with it. Burris never did anything.
yet, here we are years later and
http://www.srochicago.com/ is still running and Burris is now Blagos guy? hmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM?