7-ELEVEN Protest Over 7-11 Franchise Store Seizure (Pictures)
Customers, friends & family of 7-Eleven franchise owners Dilip and Saroj Patel gathered in Riverside, CA to show their support and protest 7-Eleven, Inc.’s seizure of their store for alleged “excessive couponing.”
(UnhappyFranchisee.Com) 7-Eleven, Inc. allegedly seized the Patel’s franchise – alleged to be worth more than $450,000 – without warning or chance of appeal.
The Patel’s had operated the family business at 5958 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, California for over 19 years.
Read Dev Patel’s account here: 7-ELEVEN Stole Our Store – Dev Patel’s Story
 7-Eleven Franchisee of 19 years Dilip Patel leads the protest after 7-Eleven, Inc. seized his store. |
 Dev Patel (left) and supporters are calling for the return of Dev’s parents’ store by 7-Eleven, Inc. |
 If you support the Patel’s and other franchise owners being terminated by 7-Eleven, Inc. Please leave a comment below. |
 .“7-Eleven is trying to force out many older store owners on bogus grounds in order to get the stores for free and then to re-sell them…” – Dev Patel |
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 Dev Patel’s fan club is young, but dedicated. Says Dev: “We love Riverside. We love our community. We love our customers.” |
 A 7-Eleven customer posted this photo of Dev Patel on Facebook. |
 Saroj Patel (right) “became emotional, broke down and cried…” when 7-Eleven, Inc. seized the business it took them 19 years to build, according to her son, Dev Patel. |
 “We didn’t sell. We didn’t retire. We didn’t want to leave. We were FORCED OUT.”7-Eleven franchisee Dilip Patel, Riverside, CA |
 Unfortunately, UnhappyFranchisee.Com is hearing numerous accounts of alleged franchise store seizures by 7-Eleven, Inc. |
Also read:
7-ELEVEN on UnhappyFranchisee.Com
7-ELEVEN Franchise Owner Claims Franchisees Are Being Bullied
7-ELEVEN Franchise Owners Complain, Allege Churning
7-ELEVEN Manhattan Group Protests 7-11 Expansion
Disclaimer: This account has been to provided to UnhappyFranchisee.com by Mr. Patel, and published verbatim. We have not independently verified his version of events. We have invited 7-Eleven, Inc. to provide their version of events, including any corrections, clarifications, statements, rebuttals they would like known. ADMIN
WHAT DO YOU THINK? PLEASE SHARE A MESSAGE FOR 7-ELEVEN BELOW – AND CALL FOR AN END TO THE STORE SEIZURES!
TAGS: 7-Eleven, 7-Eleven franchise, 7-Eleven protest, 7-Eleven lawsuit, 7-11 franchise, 7-11 Riverside CA, 7-Eleven litigation, 7-eleven franchise complaints, Dev Patel, Dilip Patel, Saroj Patel, boycott 7-Eleven,
I cover business for The Press-Enterprise. I’m trying to reach the Patel family to write about their plight. Can anyone provide me with a phone number? Thank you.
[Contact information sent – ADMIN]
i WANT TO HEAR ALL THE STORY NOT JUS T ONE SIDE. PATEL IS AN OVERSEAS NAME AND NOT SURE IF THEY ARE BORN THAT OR IT IS A GROUP LIKE KHAN OR SINGH BUT THE STORY HAS TO HAVE MORE TO IT. FIND OUT BEFORE YOU GO OUT AND RUIN EVERYONE.
Judy wrote: ” PATEL IS AN OVERSEAS NAME…”
Judy, O’Brien, Walsh, Smith, Lombardo, Jones, Schmidt are also “overseas” names. Unless you are a Native American, you have an “overseas name” too. Not sure what your point is, unless it is that 7-Eleven is racially discriminating against their Asian and Indian franchisees, which is being alleged in some current lawsuits.
FYI if Toshifumi Suzuki and Noritoshi Murata (the CEO and President of 7-Eleven’s Tokyo-based parent company) sound like “overseas names,” it’s because they are Japanese. Unlike the Patels, they are not US citizens.
Judy wrote: “i WANT TO HEAR ALL THE STORY NOT JUST ONE SIDE.”
So do we. We have contacted 7-Eleven PR Director Margaret Chabris several times asking for 7-Eleven’s side of the story. So far we have not received a response, or even an acknowledgement.
One of the disturbing things about these store seizures is that there appears to be no hearing or appeal process where both sides can present their cases. It appears that 7-Eleven, Inc. unilaterally seizes these franchisees’ businesses, and the franchisees’ only alternative is to hire a law firm and launch an expensive lawsuit. This is very difficult for a small business owner – who has had their livelihood suddenly taken away – to afford to do.
“NOT SURE IF THEY ARE BORN THAT OR IT IS A GROUP…”
The Patels are a family, not a group. The 7-Eleven parent Seven and i Holdings is a group… and one of the largest retailers in the world.
Admin, I heard that the Karamjit Sodhi vs 7-Eleven (New Jersey) case is going forward into the Discovery phase. Any updates on that one ? Folks this should be the one to watch and learn from. This case reflects what is happening all over the country with Franchisees in the 7-Eleven system. SEI picks up the most vocal opponents to their “illegal policies” and then humiliates them and take away their rights to earn a decent earning in one swing. Just to scare away anyone who might even think of opposing them.
Anonymous FZ:
In 7-Eleven, Inc. v. Karamjeet Sodhi, et al, 7-Eleven attorneys Duane Morris had tried to get a mandatory preliminary injunction that would make Sodhi surrender his 6 stores. Marks & Klein successfully fought off the seizure of the stores temporarily, but there was a hearing scheduled for February. 7-Eleven relented and withdrew its request for the injunction, so Sodhi is allowed to operate his stores during the litigation. That was a positive win for Sodhi/Marks & Klein.
It looks like they may be proceeding to trial late 2014 or early 2015. Pretrial factual discovery is extended to June 17, 2014. Expert reports and expert disclosures are to be served no later than July 1, 2014. Depositions of proposed expert witnesses are to be concluded by September 5, 2015. “Dispositive motions shall be filed with the Clerk of the Court no later than October 3, 2014 in accordance with the applicable Federal and Local Rules of Civil Procedure.” according to the case management order issued 1/27/14.
7-Eleven, Inc. and Duane Morris were also unsuccessful in trying to get the Sodhi countersuit consolidated with two other franchisee lawsuits against 7-Eleven (Younes, et. al. v. 7-Eleven, Inc. and Naik, et. al. v. 7-Eleven, Inc.). On 1/24/14, Duane Morris filed a motion for reconsideration on the request for consolidation of the cases, but so far its been denied.
I am not an attorney and struggle through these legal documents and terms, so attorneys please correct me if I’m wrong, or add some commentary as to how this case is going. A lot of people are following the Sodhi case, and rightly so.
I guess rather than following and keeping and eye on Sodhi’s case to learn something new why dont you guys support sodhi personally and spend some money to achive the goals of defeating 7-11 as a group. It is very easy to learn free of charge from sodhis case but you will not gain anything new as personally i will advise all 7-11 franchisees to form a national group and fight toghether and spent some money. Help Sodhi with money
I guess rather than following and keeping and eye on Sodhi’s case to learn something new why dont you guys support sodhi personally and spend some money to achive the goals of defeating 7-11 as a group. It is very easy to learn free of charge from sodhis case but you will not gain anything new as personally i will advise all 7-11 franchisees to form a national group and fight toghether and spent some money. Help Sodhi with money
Unfortunately daisy people is scared of everything and they don’t like to come as one whole group but eventually as more and more stores start getting seized HOPEFULLY this wuzzies will do something .Another component is a good attorney and I don’t believe that they are employing the best of the best because daisy people mentality is not spend money always buying champagne with beer money saving pennies spending dollars I am a daisy too and is unfortunate to see my people like this…last time there was a meeting the market manager was treating everyone like dogs and none said anything… go to IFA and become a member that probably will help and God Bless the creator of this web page I applaud his or her bravado…
IFA??? That is pro-FRANCHISOR organization
i am also having the same problems with 7-eleven. i am also a store owner and SEI has taken back my store in mid feb of 2014 for similar reasons and i am trying to fight it as well but the lawyer fees are too much for me to be able to do much is there any thing i can do or find help some where? i am financualy unable to pay for the $100,000 to $200,00 in attorny expenses and thats a low estamate trying to win back $135000. any advice is appreciated.
thank you
i am a invester in 711 store in woodbridge ave, Edison nj.08817 last four years , i have a contract with 711 owner , mean while some defolt comes and 711 frienches took store and sold another peop;e, i write letter to 711 about my contract, and hold money until my desiccison not comes, 711 frienches give $250,000.00 to owner,and owner nothing to give me . can 711 give my money what i invested ,i never know about that happen, the owner never told me truth whats going on , can you help me, because i spend 250,000.00 and i lost all money, my name ,,,jeram patel , Edison nj 08820. email… [redacted]