Landlord sues Dirty Dough franchisee, alleging unpaid rent

The owner of The Creek development on South Campbell Avenue has filed suit against the franchise owner of a Dirty Dough store that closed in September.

Equanimity Enterprises LLC, which owns The Creek property at 2515 S. Campbell Ave., alleges in a Nov. 5 petition filed in Greene County Circuit Court that it is owed unpaid rent and other penalties from C & A Partners LLC, dba Dirty Dough Springfield, and Isaac Aldridge, the franchise owner.

The Dirty Dough franchise at 2515 S. Campbell Ave., Ste. 100, closed in September, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting. At the time, Aldridge cited his wife's health concerns for closing the franchise location of the Utah-based gourmet cookie chain. 

In a statement provided to SBJ, Aldridge said he is working with the landlord to resolve the matter cited in the lawsuit. The Creek is a development from businessman Greg Walker and Walker Hospitality Group LLC, according to past reporting. 

“Our landlord, Greg, is a great guy, and he's just defending his assets,” Aldridge said in the statement. “Any time a business closes there are things that need to be paid. We're already working with him to make sure everything is fairly resolved as best as possible.”

In the petition, Equanimity Enterprises alleges Aldridge failed to pay $13,835 in total rent for the months of June, July, August, September and October. The lawsuit additionally points to $3,266 in late fees and asks the court for a judgment to include damages and attorney's fees and court costs.

The lawsuit alleges Aldridge breached a five-year lease agreement and that the plaintiff therefore "is entitled to the residue of rent for the remainder of the lease period" as the landlord searches for a new tenant to fill the space.

Equanimity Enterprises is represented in the lawsuit by attorney Catherine Reade of Cowherd, Reade, Adair & Laney LLC. An attorney is not listed in court filings for Aldridge.

The Springfield franchise store of Dirty Dough opened in June 2024, according to past reporting. The company specializes in cookies loaded with toppings and filled with stuffings.