Ansara v. Katz

Sophie Kozaczka (“Kozaczka”) opened a convenience store in Worcester in 1995, and signed a written lease for one year with General Realty Corporation (“General Realty”). The lease required Kozaczka to pay a monthly rent of $1,000.00, plus utilities, and it provided for its automatic renewal annually. In August, 1999, Kozaczka transferred her business to her daughter, Lisa Ansara (“Ansara”), but neither Kozaczka, nor Ansara, attempted formally to assign the leasehold to Ansara. Ansara continued to operate the store at the same location through the summer of 2002, when she negotiated the sale…