Restaurant closings

[Dustin]

The other day I was at Cheesecake Factory and the party seated next to us ordered nachos and it reminded me of Shorty Smalls. Most of the menu was mediocre, but the nachos were the best I've ever had. So sad they are closed.

[ManAboutTown]

^

Oh my.

Been there forever and was a nice place, although I hadn't been in there in at least a decade.

Abuelo’s had been there around 25 years, hadn’t it, Pete? It’s interesting too that they closed right before Thunder basketball starts back up. That place could get pretty crowded on game days.

[BoulderSooner]

Abuelo’s in Bricktown is now closed.
Attachment 19200

wow ... that is in our lunch rotation ..

[Pete]

Abuelo’s had been there around 25 years, hadn’t it, Pete? It’s interesting too that they closed right before Thunder basketball starts back up. That place could get pretty crowded on game days.

Abuelo's opened in Bricktown in 1994, so 30 years.

[OKCRealtor]

Dang I waited tables at that Abuelos for about a year in College. It was after I got back from studying abroad & I wanted to keep improving my spanish skills. This would have been 06-07 I think. Ironically that restaurant led to connections elsewhere & some introductions down the road that would eventually change my life.

[Urbanized]

They’ve had the same GM since day one. In personal conversations Ray has been talking retirement for several years (he has family ranch property in New Mexico). I think he was on a bit of an island from a corporate standpoint and never got a ton of corporate support, including terribly rough pandemic-era years, when he was struggling to get and keep employees including assistant managers. He had to burn the candle at both ends for several years - often working as a line cook or waiting tables - and I know he was smooth worn out.

They didn’t seem to be in any hurry to shore things up or to place someone there to take over for him, and seemed to disinvest, probably due to lackluster numbers. The pandemic truly changed dining habits for downtown businesses. It’s difficult to appreciate unless you live and/or work downtown, but daytime/lunch business is down across the board in all districts due to dramatic changes in office tenancy, office worker habits and demographics.

Going back another decade, the Bricktown Abuelo’s also suffered quite a bit at lunch when Devon Tower and Nebu opened. Abuelo’s lunch business was heavily dependent on Devon employees, who filled it up every day. Once they moved a couple of blocks further and had a wonderful lunch option downstairs it was a big blow. Continental didn’t backfill when they arrived because they have a very different work culture that tends to keep employees close to their desks, from what I understand.

All of this combined with a massive amount of square footage (which is becoming a dated model) conspired to make this happen. It’s been a long time coming. As someone who has continued to eat their out of convenience for the past 30 years, combined with nostalgia in more recent years, this is a total bummer, but at the same time not a total surprise.

[Pete]

It's such beautiful space you have to think another operator will take it over.

But at the same time, it's a very large space for most types of restaurants.

[OKCRealtor]

They’ve had the same GM since day one. In personal conversations Ray has been talking retirement for several years (he has family ranch property in New Mexico). I think he was on a bit of an island from a corporate standpoint and never got a ton of corporate support, including terribly rough pandemic-era years, when he was struggling to get and keep employees including assistant managers. He had to burn the candle at both ends for several years - often working as a line cook or waiting tables - and I know he was smooth worn out.

They didn’t seem to be in any hurry to shore things up or to place someone there to take over for him, and seemed to disinvest, probably due to lackluster numbers. The pandemic truly changed dining habits for downtown businesses. It’s difficult to appreciate unless you live and/or work downtown, but daytime/lunch business is down across the board in all districts due to dramatic changes in office tenancy, office worker habits and demographics.

Going back another decade, the Bricktown Abuelo’s also suffered quite a bit at lunch when Devon Tower and Nebu opened. Abuelo’s lunch business was heavily dependent on Devon employees, who filled it up every day. Once they moved a couple of blocks further and had a wonderful lunch option downstairs it was a big blow. Continental didn’t backfill when they arrived because they have a very different work culture that tends to keep employees close to their desks, from what I understand.

All of this combined with a massive amount of square footage (which is becoming a dated model) conspired to make this happen. It’s been a long time coming. As someone who has continued to eat their out of convenience for the past 30 years, combined with nostalgia in more recent years, this is a total bummer, but at the same time not a total surprise.

I was wondering if Ray was still there, amazing he was the GM there all that time. He's a good guy for sure.

[CCOKC]

I am very saddened by the closing of Abuelos. We would go there at least every other month. They had dishes that other Mexican restaurants don't have.

[bison34]

That Abuelos spot could likely be 2 restaurants. It is a massive space, and the rent for it must be incredible, as well.

[bamarsha]

That's sad, Abuelo's is awesome! I may have only been to the one downtime a couple times, but I used to go to the one on Memorial a lot (pre-marriage, wife doesn't like it)... the Memorial location is staying open, right?