Meister v. Arden-Mayfair, Inc.

This is a suit brought by Richard Meister and Patrick Murphy against Arden-Mayfair, Inc., for specific performance of an alleged agreement to sell three retail grocery stores. Plaintiffs appeal from the trial court’s determination that no enforceable contract exists between plaintiffs and defendant.

Plaintiffs are experienced grocers and were previously employed by defendant as managers of two of the stores involved in this suit. As such they knew of defendant’s corporate structure and that "major policies” were made by management in Los Angeles, California. In February or March of 1974 they…