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Beer Company Sues: Missing Nude Photo Could Jack up Alehouse Rent

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on April 05, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A $51,000 photo of a naked woman is not unheard of.

A $51,000 naked photo that hung on the wall of Rogue Ales' Newport Ale House for nearly 25 years? That's a bit of a stretch.

But Oregon Brewing Company, parent company of Rogue Ales, is suing Frame Central for just that. The framing company lost its racy photo, and the beer brewers want it back, or its rent will go up by a lot.

Rogue Ales' Newport location belonged to one Mohave "Mo" Neimi, reports KPTV. In exchange for a generous rental rate, the company agreed to forever hang a photograph of Mo on the property.

The picture is of her naked and in a bathtub.

Even though Mo has since passed, Oregon Brewing Company continues to lease the building from her estate, subject to the same condition. As long as the photo is up, they have cheap rent.

Because Mo's photo makes such a statement, the company decided that it wanted to have the photo and frame cleaned and restored, with 10 copies made to hang in other locations, reports the station. They took the naked photo to Frame Central.

Turns out Frame Central lost Mo, and is now being sued for breach of contract, conversion and negligence, according to the complaint.

Fifty grand seems a little steep for a naked photo that hangs in a bar, but Oregon Brewing Company may have a leg to stand on.

Compensatory damages in negligence suits aim to make the plaintiff whole, as though the injury never occurred. If losing Mo is going to force the company's rent up by $51,000, then they might be entitled to such a high amount.

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