Massachusetts Appeals Court April 18, 1997, No. 95-P-1912 (Kobayashi v. Orion Ventures, Inc.)

Kass, J.

At the center of this case is the interpretation of a noncompetition clause in a lease: “Landlord will not permit the operation of any other delis in the Building during the term of this Lease.” That pivotal phrase appeared in the last sentence of § 4 of a commercial lease between the trustees of Shuwa Trust, as landlord, to Orion Ventures, Inc.