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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe owner of Circle Centre Mall has filed suit against the operator of Georgia Street Rhythm & Blues Lounge, alleging the venue failed to provide required sales reports needed to determine whether it owes additional rent.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in Marion County, alleges that J&J Promotional Group, which operates the lounge, and its CEO and owner, Larry Jones, repeatedly failed to submit the sales reports.
Under the original lease with Spree LLC, a holding company used by Beloit, Wisconsin-based Hendricks Commercial Properties LLC, J&J Promotional Group was required to submit monthly reports detailing its gross and adjusted gross sales. The lease also required additional rent equal to 6% of sales if the tenant exceeded a $1.2 million sales threshold.
Spree said J&J Promotional Group failed to submit the required statements from April through September 2026, leaving it unclear whether the tenant owes additional rent.
Spree is asking the court to terminate the lease and order J&J Promotional Group to surrender the premises.
Jones did not respond to messages from IBJ on Tuesday and Wednesday seeking comment about the allegations.
Neither Hendricks nor Matthew Adolay, an Indianapolis attorney with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP who is representing Spree, immediately responded to IBJ’s messages on Wednesday.
Georgia Street Rhythm & Blues Lounge, also known as R&B Lounge, opened in 2023 in the former Burger Study space at 28 W. Georgia St. The nearly 6,000-square-foot venue offers live music, drinks and Caribbean soul food.
The venue has advertised a Thursday watch party for a Verzuz event featuring R&B artists Carl Thomas and Case, followed by an after-party scheduled to continue into the early morning. (Verzuz is a live-streamed, head-to-head music competition between iconic artists launched by hip-hop producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland in 2020.)
Hendricks purchased the Circle Centre Mall property for $85 million in 2024 from longtime owner Circle Centre Development Co. The company plans to transform the property into Traction Yards, a $600 million redevelopment spanning two downtown blocks.
Since acquiring the mall, Hendricks has filed several lawsuits against tenants through Spree.
In February 2026, Spree sued Columbus, Ohio-based coworking company COhatch, alleging it owed nearly $180,000 in unpaid rent. The parties settled about a week later under undisclosed terms.
Also in February 2026, a court dismissed an eviction lawsuit against JBMH Inc. following an out-of-court settlement. Spree also reached a settlement in 2024 involving Circle Centre Mall LLC and Sugar Factory.
In November 2025, Hendricks sued Punch Bowl Social, alleging the business owed more than $650,000 in rent dating to June 2025. The case remains pending, with a status conference scheduled for Nov. 10.
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