RIPLEY ­– A legal fight is taking place over the site of an adult store in Ripley.

The company that owns the Lions Den in Ripley is asking the state Supreme Court in Mayville to force Ripley Travel to pay at least $750,000 in compensatory damages and to require Ripley Travel to place the building for sale and receive half the purchase proceeds.

Ripley Travel is an Ohio corporation that owns property at 6306 Shortman Road, near I-90, in Ripley that it leases to Ripley Retail Inc., which owns the Lions Den. Ripley Travel purchased the leased property from Carnegie Companies LLC for $1.5 million on April 1, 2024.

At issue, according to Ripley Retail, is a section of the lease that states if the business operates at a loss for six consecutive months the tenant has the right to require the property be placed on the market for sale. As long as the tenant isn’t in default of the lease then the tenant is to have control of the price and other sale terms. During those marketing efforts the tenant is to pay all rents and perform its lease obligations.

Once the tenant reaches a sale agreement, the agreement is to be given to Ripley Travel, which would have the right to purchase the premises on the same terms and conditions.

On June 4, 2025, Ripley Retail gave written notice to Ripley Travel that it had suffered six consecutive months of operating losses, which triggered a section of the lease that Ripley Retail officials say should allow them to place the building on the market for sale.

“Notwithstanding the information provided to it, Ripley Travel Holdings LLC has failed to fulfill its obligations under the lease, to fully cooperate in the listing of the property for sale and with its other obligations under Article X and Section 10.03 of the lease,” the lawsuit states.

Ripley Retail officials allege the property should sell for at least $1.5 million.

“As a direct and proximate result of the defendant’s breach of the lease, plaintiff has been damaged in the listing of the demised premises for sale and its sale, plaintiff has been damaged in the amount of 50% of the net proceeds that would result from the sale of the demised premises on the open market, the precise amount of which will be determined at trial,” the lawsuit states.

In October 2024 the town of Ripley will serve as the lead agency for a project that could bring a new hotel and travel plaza to Ripley.

At their regular meeting this month, Ripley Town Board members passed a motion to anticipate the designation of Ripley town as the lead agency for the Onvo Project on Shortman Road. Onvo is a network of travel plazas, convenience stores and restaurants, located throughout Pennsylvania and New York.

At the board’s July meeting, Onvo Vice President Dan Naylor presented a plan to develop a travel plaza at the spot where the Lion’s Den is currently located. Although there are no firm plans as of yet, the plaza could include a hotel and shops.