Lucy Florence Coffee House and Cultural Center has been evicted from their space in Leimert Park Village after a protracted three year legal battle with the property’s owners, according to Mary Hill-Wagner of Intersections South LA Report.

"Things were supposed to be OK," said co-owner Richard Harris on the phone today.

He is still holding out hope, even though the doors are locked and he sent out a Facebook invite to buy all the store's fixtures. (He said the sale's on hold)

Ron and and Richard Harris published an open letter last week on Leimert Park Beat trying to explaining their side of the story about the eviction. The explanation followed a time where they shuttered the store in order to return to Atlanta for a medical emergency, as they explained in a story and letter on Intersections South LA.

When they returned, the Harris twins contacted the media to explain they weren't closing. They took the opportunity to have a huge sale and also chided the local community for not supporting businesses in Leimert Park Village, a complaint echoed by EsoWon Bookstore as well.

Owners of the building that house Lucy Florece refused to comment, but according to South LA Report their attorney Barry S. Parker said: “It’s was my understanding because of financial hardship, (the tenants) were not able to fulfill their commitment."

The Harrises also had a dispute about rent with the psuedo governmental agency Community Build a decade ago before moving their operations to their current location.

Lucy Florence, named after the Harris' mother who is living in Atlanta, was founded in 1996. The venue sold coffee, pastries and women's accesories at the storefront. But it was so much more.

They were featured on America's Next Top Model with Tyra Banks as the Aswirl Twin. The center hosted art shows (including one with Sam Pace - the creator of the artwork used above in the banner for Leimert Park Beat), one-woman plays, bridge clubs and had a host of semi-secret rooms filled with ephemera and treasures. Yet there weren't a lot of items for sale. It also hosted the Los Angeles Urban Round Table hosted by Earl Ofari Hutchinson.

"The closing of Lucy Florence Cultural Center is a huge blow to Leimert Park," said Hutchinson (DISCLOSURE: I have worked with Hutchinson in the past). "For a decade, the center has been a national and even international African-American cultural and social landmark, a popular social and political meeting place, and an economic anchor for small businesses in Leimert Park.  We and everyone who understands the importance of having a major cultural and social landmark in our midst have suffered an irreplaceable loss to our community, the city and the nation."

Lucy Florence has a second location on Pico and Spaulding.