Hell-Burger Closed in Arlington Over Landlord Dispute: Moves Across the Street

In this handout photo released by The Solae Company, the soy burger is shown. St. Louis-based Solae LLC has come up with a patent-pending invention called SoleCina that involves both the process and the ingredients to produce either a 'hybrid' meat, part soy, part real meat, or a completely meatless food that tastes like chicken, beef, pork or turkey.

By Brittney R. Villalva , Christian Post Reporter

February 14, 2013|10:26 am

Ray's Hell Burger, first established in 2008, could be closing doors to its two locations for good in Arlington, Va. following a dispute with a landlord.

The restaurant became popular out of its own merit up until 2009 when President Barack Obama paid a visit to the burger joint with Vice President Joe Biden. In 2010 Obama, returned with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. Since, Hell Burger has become even more popular- but popularity is not its problem.

Ray's Hell Burger and Ray's Hell Burger Too have been permanently closed due to a dispute with the property landlord, according to The Washington Post. The restaurant locations were first shut down in January. The original shutdown was described by restaurant chef Michael Landrum as a "very minor blip."

Located in Rosslyn's Colonial Village Shopping Center, the real estate company responsible for the properties confirmed that both building in which the restaurant was being housed were available for lease. Users were left to speculate what had caused the dispute.

"Landlord likely saw a chance to raise the rent because of the restaurants fame and success, figuring the owner would pony up the extra scratch rather than close his doors," one user prompted on the Huffington Post. "Wrong! I have seen this over time and time again and most times it is the landlord who loses out because the tenant will either build their own place or merely find another location with better rent leaving the place vacant for years."

A newer version of the restaurant however, labeled Ray to the Third has opened up across the street, according to the Post. The company also appears to own a slew of other restaurants that include steaks and retro fest on the menu.