Landlord Slips Free-Cupcake Clause Into Lease

This is why you have to read the fine print, people

It's an eater's market, apparently.

When landlord Jack Resnick & Sons -- who rent out space to the Crumbs Bakeshop at 880 Third Avenue -- renewed the bakery's lease, they slipped a rider under the radar: They wanted a dozen Crumbs cupcakes to be delivered to their sales meetings every month.

It took a call to the Resnick offices to get a number for PR guy Steve Solomon who ... declined comment. But Crumbs owner Jason Bauer said he got a chuckle out of the requirement and was happy to describe how the deal was reached.

"In a telephone call, someone casually said, 'Oh yeah, and we're going to want 12 free cupcakes for each of our monthly staff meetings,'" Bauer said. "I laughed at first, but when the paperwork came over a few weeks later, it was written into the lease."

Bauer said such a small expense could go a long way.

"That's fine for a few reasons -- it helps maintain a good working relationship, it gives us good exposure and, well, let's just say it's good to get along with the landlord," Bauer said. "And inevitably one of our cupcakes will get into the hands of someone who's never had one, and we think our product is good enough to sell itself."

Could this signal the return of the barter system? We certainly hope so. We'd like to work out some sort of deal with the bar next door.

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