Peachwave Frozen Yogurt Faces Eviction At University Mall Store

FAIRFAX, VA — Peachwave Frozen Yogurt has until 7 a.m. on Thursday to vacate its space at University Mall in Fairfax.

Mall owner College Town Associates LLC negotiated a deal with Peachwave owner David Waskiewicz last August to pay down the debt he owed in back rent. He currently owes $40,000.

What led to the current financial situation was the kiosk he opened to sell frozen yogurt in Tysons Corner Center. That location did not take off as Waskiewicz had hoped, forcing him to shutter that business after nine months.

“Unfortunately, when I closed that location, the loans for all the equipment did not stop,” Waskiewicz told Patch. “I had to pay those loans on the back of this store. We were still fine. We paid all of our rent through COVID and everything. But in the winter of 2023, I started falling behind here a little bit in the red and it snowballed in July.”

“We're asking for 90 days to repay the debt that we owe them. That'll bring us into the spring,” Waskiewicz said. “If they fail to agree to that, we're hoping they at least give me a reasonable amount of time to move all this equipment.”

Peachwave opened its doors at University Mall in the middle of the pandemic on Aug. 13, 2020.

“It’s a really small business. It’s the only business I have,” Waskiewicz said. He hoped College Town Associates would realize the community valued his business and grant the extension.

Instead, a sheriff's deputy posted an eviction notice on the front of his business on Jan. 15. Between the short notice and the holiday, Waskiewicz did have enough time to move equipment out of the business.

A Peachwave customer launched a Change.org petition asking the property owners to agree to Waskiewicz’s request.

Waskiewicz sent the petition, which had more than 1,000 signatures, and several emails to the College Town Associates, but as of Tuesday afternoon there was no response.

There is also a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the business. As of 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, it had raised $3,695 with 54 donations toward its $50,000 goal.