Former Savitri’s restaurant put up for sale again

By Doug Schorpp | Tuesday, August 28, 2007

The former Savitri’s restaurant in downtown Davenport is up for sale again.

David Levin, vice president of Ruhl & Ruhl Commercial, said the property at 111 W. 2nd St. is listed for sale or lease with all furniture, fixtures and equipment included.

“I believe the other party decided not to open up the restaurant and pursue other interests,” Levin said Monday.

He said the property was listed two weeks ago.

Levin said the owner is Dr. Narinder Kumar. Kumar is the president and sole owner of Napam Investments Inc., which owns the Savitri’s building. He also was a shareholder in the restaurant, which opened in December 2002.

In 2004, Napam, the investment company that received $230,000 in loans from the City of Davenport to help rehabilitate the downtown building, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Davenport attorney David Miller, who was representing Napam at the time, said then that the restaurant business owned by Kumar and other family members leased space from Napam. The restaurant operation was not involved in the Napam Chapter 11 restructuring.

Several Quad-City companies that provided goods and services during rehabilitation of the building filed mechanic’s liens against the restaurant. Kumar had disputed the amounts of several of the liens. Levin said Monday that all debts and liens have been taken care of.

Last month, Davenport businessman Ron Thakur said he had purchased Savitri’s restaurant and renamed it Red River Steak House. He also owns a Citgo station at 3527 Spring St. Levin said Monday that the restaurant never reopened.

Thakur said last month that he was in negotiations to possibly purchase the building as well. Thakur said Monday that he does not “have much experience,” in the restaurant business so the decision was made to list it for sale or lease.

Doug Schorpp can be contacted at (563) 383-2292 or dschorpp@qctimes.com.