Investor says bad deal killed ‘dream’ of African restaurant in New Rochelle

Three years ago, Saye Konah saw an opportunity to fulfill a decades-long dream — opening a restaurant in New Rochelle that would feature a modern fusion menu of West African, Caribbean and American barbecue dishes — only to see his hopes dashed in a bad investment.

Konah “invested his time and money, as well as his heart and soul, in building Traffic Stop at Rib King Inc.,” according to a lawsuit filed May 13 in U.S. District Court, White Plains, “to cater to the growing African diaspora population in the New Rochelle area.”

Konah sued his partner, Marcel Konig, for allegedly excluding him from the business after receiving a $100,000 investment.

Konig had operated Rib King briefly about three years ago and then shut it down, according to the complaint.

Konah describes the location at the corner of North Avenue and Main Street as the hub of the African diaspora community. His business, Bella Glo Beauty Spa, is three blocks away.

New Rochelle did not have a single African restaurant then, Konah says, so he made a deal with Konig to reopen Rib King as equal owners to serve that overlooked market.

He claims he paid off Rib King’s back rent and other expenses, created a new menu and worked innumerable hours to reopen the restaurant.

The deal, according to the complaint, was oral but documented in part with emails and other written communications.

Konah says the partnership broke down almost immediately. Konig ran the business alone, allegedly sold equipment without his consent and hired only family members and relatives.

When Konah presented evidence from a security camera that employees were not working during hours for which they were paid, the complaint states, Konig disconnected the cameras and changed the passwords to the system.

He says Konig excluded him from the business, refused to share information or profits, turned down buyout options, sold the business but did not share the proceeds, and opened a competing restaurant a half-mile away.

Konah accuses Konig of breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment. He is demanding $100,000 and an accounting of Rib King’s finances.

Efforts to contact Konig for his side of the story were unsuccessful.

Konah is represented by Queens attorney Baruch S. Gottesman.