Columbus food pantry wins in court, can remain at current location

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Columbus food pantry that was at the center of an eviction battle won in court last week and will be allowed to remain at its current location.

The Inprem Holistic Community Resource Center CEO Alex Eric Abrokwa-Clottey told NBC4 on Monday that the eviction was tossed and the food pantry can remain in the Granville Centre Plaza through the end of its lease in August 2028.

The pantry has operated out of that location for the last 10 years. The shopping center came under new ownership in May. Watch previous coverage in the player above.

The shopping center's owner accused the pantry's drive-thru of being illegal, which Abrokwa-Clottey said was never a problem with the shopping center's previous owner.  

The complaint, filed in Franklin County Municipal Court, said the pantry was in violation of the lease, arguing that the “tenant has created a nuisance or unreasonable annoyance to landlord and the other tenants of the shopping center, including by loading and unloading at the front entrance, causing a traffic nuisance for other tenants.”

Abrokwa-Clottey said the pantry worked with the city to establish a traffic flow plan that works.

“We are not bringing it in front of the building to affect anything that is happening with other tenants,” Abrokwa-Clottey told NBC4 for a previous story. “It’s in the back of the building where there is nothing back there.”

The fresh food pantry does not have any ZIP code restrictions for those seeking assistance. Just this year alone, it has distributed food to over 47,000 families across multiple states and 128 ZIP codes.