What started as a landlord-tenant dispute over the Little Red Hen, a decades-old country bar in Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood, has turned sharply personal, with court papers surfacing a contested email and dueling claims over who actually holds the lease. A judge has postponed the eviction trial, giving both sides extra time to dig up evidence.
Court filings lay out the dispute
Records filed in King County show that property owner RLD Group LLC sued to evict the bar on Nov. 5, 2025, after serving a notice to terminate the tenancy in July 2025 following an argument over the bar’s dumpster. The landlord contends that owner-operator Dominic Shim has not held a valid lease in years, while Shim counters in court documents that he believed a lease was in place through 2030.
Court papers include an “emotional” reply that Shim later described as a “mistake,” along with an allegation that he sent a June 12, 2025 message threatening the landlord’s family, a charge Shim did not dispute in an April 9 response. Meanwhile, patrons and organizers have collected more than 7,000 signatures on a petition to save the bar. Judge Kent Liu has moved the trial from April 24 to Sept. 24, 2026, to allow both sides more time to gather evidence, as reported by The Seattle Times.
Patrons organize to save the Hen
Regulars and organizers have rallied around the Little Red Hen, launching a SaveTheHen campaign and staging events aimed at influencing the outcome outside the courtroom. The grassroots group has shared updates, petition drives, and local actions on its website, according to SaveTheHen.
Legal context
Despite its neighborhood feel, the dispute is moving through civil court under Washington’s summary eviction framework. When a tenant remains after a termination notice, a landlord can file an unlawful detainer action. The state statutes and court forms that govern that process appear in chapter 59.12 of the Revised Code of Washington, which explains how a judgment can result in a writ of restitution and removal by law enforcement, as outlined in the Revised Code of Washington.
What to watch next
With the trial now scheduled for Sept. 24, 2026, expect a steady stream of new filings and pretrial motions as both sides prepare witnesses and evidence. The Little Red Hen has remained open throughout the legal fight, serving regulars while the case moves through court, according to The Seattle Times. Observers can track the King County docket for fresh declarations or motions and watch to see whether mediation or a settlement surfaces before the September trial.
