Romanian traditional restaurant chain La Mama has won the auction for opening a restaurant at the ground floor of the Romanian Peasant’s Museum (MTR - Muzeul Taranului Roman), located in downtown Bucharest close to the Government building, Profit.ro reported. MTR runs under the supervision of the Culture Ministry.

Local entrepreneur Cătălin Mahu controls La Mama through his firm Trotter Restaurant. He replaces the former tenant of the location, Local Real, which submitted the offer alongside Fabrica Extrem & Events, and Stefani Residential Complex. None of the bidders, except for La Mama, met the museums’ conditions.

The starting price in the auction was 10 EUR per square meter per month plus VAT, which, for the floor area of 335 sqm resulted in EUR 3,350 per month plus VAT, or about EUR 40,000 per year. During the course of the 4-year contract, the rental value will be updated annually with the inflation rate. The lease agreement has a duration of 4 years and is valid until the spring of 2023.

In February, Cătălin Mahu, owner of La Mama, said he wanted to expand but couldn’t find spaces with reasonable rents. He said he was asked a price of EUR 80 per sqm per month in a “pretty good location.”

editor@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/La Mama)