Warner Bros. : Smallville Ledger

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Volume 0 Number 0

TALON SOLD TO BURRITO BAR

By Frank Moore

Smallville residents will soon be able to replace their morning muffins with breakfast burritos when a taste of old Mexico--via Metropolis--arrives to spice up the town's culinary scene. Real estate records indicate that Lex Luthor has just sold The Talon coffeehouse on Main Street to the Burrito Olé chain of eateries.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed, and neither Luthor nor Burrito Olé owner Wendell Kerns were available for comment. However, a local realtor confirmed the sale, which will lead to yet another transformation of the historic property.

Opened in 1939, The Talon was originally Smallville's premier movie theater, an elegant establishment that served cinephiles for over 60 years before disrepair and increased competition from modern multiplexes forced its closure.

LexCorp purchased the building two years ago from then-owner Nell Potter with the aim of tearing it down to put up a parking structure. But in a shrewd last-minute business decision, Lex decided to renovate instead, recreating The Talon as a trendy, upscale cafe.

With Luthor's guidance, manager and part-owner Lana Lang--Potter's niece--was able to turn The Talon into a hot spot for young latte lovers and espresso enthusiasts. It even played host to occasional music performances, including a highly successful charity concert last year featuring British rockers Steadman, which benefited the Smallville Food Bank.

But despite the business' apparent popularity, sources said, Luthor had never managed to turn a real profit with The Talon. In addition, corporate records show that Lang, a Smallville High junior scheduled to spend next year abroad, had recently sold her share of the place back to Lex, leaving the café without a day-to-day overseer.

Although LuthorCorp took control of most of LexCorp's holdings last year, a spokesman for Lionel Luthor emphasized that The Talon's precarious finances were solely Lex's responsibility. "Rest assured that Lionel Luthor has far more weightier concerns than anything going on in a coffee shop in Smallville," said Mitchell Taylor, LuthorCorp's director of public relations.