Worcester Mexican restaurant closes, citing staff shortage and economic strain
Users on Yelp reported that the restaurant, located at the corner of Foster and Commercial streets, had closed.
'The decision to close was made by owner Miguel Perez and his family, citing economic strain, staffing shortages, and the demands of running two restaurants,' DCU spokesperson LaHair told the Telegram & Gazette.
'Since opening, Miguel and his family have taken great pride in serving the Worcester community and are sincerely grateful for the support and encouragement they've received over the past two years,' LaHair told the newspaper.
Perez and his wife, Denise Medina, opened the restaurant in September 2023. The couple wanted their menu to tap into their families' roots in Union de Tula, 'a small vibrant town in Jalisco, Mexico.'
'Growing up, I remember spending so much time playing in the kitchen while watching my mother and grandmother cook,' Miguel Perez said in the press release at the time. 'Their love of food and my love of their food inspired me to carry on the family tradition of bringing people together as a restaurant owner with a deep passion of serving the community.'
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Los Angeles Times
42 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
A brewery, a rooftop lounge, a fried chicken spot. Closures rattle downtown L.A. again
Tokyo Fried Chicken has closed its doors in downtown. And a buzzy Mexican rooftop lounge along with a legacy L.A. brewery in the area said they would do the same, the latest in a string of businesses abandoning the city's core. Founded in 2013 in a Monterey Park shopping center before moving to a location in downtown L.A. in 2023, Tokyo Fried Chicken is known for its fried chicken and sides that borrow inspiration from Southern and Japanese cuisines. The fast-casual diner, which marinates its chicken in soy sauce, ginger and garlic, has been ranked on The Times annual 101 Best Restaurants in L.A. guide two years running. The company announced its last day of service, Aug. 10, in an Instagram post with less than a week's notice. When the day came, an hours-long line wrapped outside the building, with another hour wait for the piping hot chicken to arrive to the table once seated. 'It was so amazing to see the turnout and all the love people have for the brand and for the food,' said Elaine Yamanashi, who co-owns the business with her husband and chef, Kouji Yamanashi. 'That is what has kept us going every day.' Elaine Yamanashi emphasized that the original plan was for the Olive Street location to be an expansion from the Monterey Park location, where she said many customers made the fried chicken joint part of their weekly routine. Ultimately, with construction and permitting delays downtown — they signed a lease mere months before the pandemic started — coupled with staffing shortages in Monterey Park, the couple decided to go all in on launching the downtown location before resuming service in Monterey Park. 'Could we even run both at the same time? We didn't think we could,' Yamanashi said. The downtown location had its perks: the Yamanashis' ultra-crispy chicken found a broader clientele, and a larger kitchen allowed for increased service hours. But the pandemic had also changed customer eating habits. 'We built our place for people to sit down and dine, but the majority of our food was being taken out,' said Yamanashi. A lack of parking and outdoor dining patio also led to decreased visibility in that location. Tokyo Fried Chicken is also a victim of broader industry challenges, including a downturn in business following the writers' and actors strikes, the Palisades and Eaton fires and most recently, immigration raids and protests that scared diners away from downtown. 'By last October, people were starting to come out again and it was better,' Yamanashi said. 'Then most of this year has been filled with very challenging issues along with increased costs along with slim margins.' 'The things that were happening in the larger economy made us feel like, 'Oh man, we should scale back so we don't have to break ourselves to make it,'' she added. Fans of the restaurant are in mourning, with many on Instagram saying they've followed the restaurant since its days in the San Gabriel Valley. But Yamanashi isn't saying the concept is gone forever. 'We're taking this time, not off, but to reflect,' she said. 'If we come back, we intend to come back intentionally and strategically to be able to survive long term in whatever location we find.' The sister restaurant to Mexico City-based Grupo Palmares' open-air hit Terraza Cha Cha Chá, LA Cha Cha Chá is known for its tacos, strong margaritas and stylish rooftop in the Arts District designed by architect Lena Kohl. The lush two-story space weathered the pandemic, writers' strike and January fires, but co-owner Alejandro Marín blames recent ICE raids and ensuing protests in downtown L.A. for a significant drop in customers. 'After June, it seemed like everyone was avoiding downtown, and we don't see tourists anymore,' Marín told Eater LA, adding his team expected to remain open for 'a couple of months, maybe three' before closing permanently. The group is also behind L.A. restaurants Loreto and Za Za Zá in Frogtown and Santa Canela in Highland Park. LA Cha Cha Chá, 812 E. Third St., Los Angeles, CA, 90013. Angel City Brewery recently announced it is slated to close at the termination of its lease in April 2026, according to a statement from its parent company Boston Beer Co., best known for its Samuel Adams brand. Its on-site sister taproom Truly LA, which serves the brand's hard seltzer, will only provide Friday and Saturday service by the end of the year, with the area converting to overflow and rental space. 'Our coworkers are our top priority, and we're making this move gradually to give our people the opportunity to do what's best for them,' said the statement. 'The goal is to absorb as many Truly LA coworkers as possible into our Angel City Brewery team for the duration of the lease and avoid a significant impact to coworker shifts.' Angel City Brewery was founded in 1997 by Michael Bowe in Culver City before moving to its current location, a three-story 1913 John A. Roebling building on the corner of Alameda Street and Traction Avenue, in 2011. Boston Beer acquired the company in 2012 and completely overhauled the menu during a boom in L.A.'s craft beer industry. Now, the company says, 'the brand no longer lines up with our long-term growth strategy,' adding that its focus is 'growing our core, national brands.' However, the company notes that the brewery has been 'doing well' and is earnestly looking for a buyer. 'We believe there is potential for this brand to succeed outside of Boston Beer as a strong local offering, and we'll be putting significant efforts behind selling Angel City so the brand can continue to live on,' said the statement. The company confirmed it has no plans to close its other taprooms. Angel City Brewery, 216 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 622-1261
Eater
an hour ago
- Eater
Historic Ojai Hotel Debuts Two Chic Restaurants and a Bar by the Little Dom's Crew
A pair of seasoned Los Angeles restaurateurs just debuted two restaurants and a bar inside Ojai's historic Hotel El Roblar. Little Dom's Warner Ebbink, documentary filmmaker Jeremy McBride, Turtle Conservancy founder and filmmaker Eric Goode, designer Ramin Shamshiri, and chef Brandon Boudet have opened the Condor Bar, hotel guest-only restaurant La Cocina, and Snug Bar this summer in the newly refurbished 50-room hotel. Ebbink and Boudet are the same duo that introduced Los Feliz's longstanding Little Dom's, Little Dom's Seafood in Carpinteria, and Montecito's Bar Lou, which opened in late 2024. The two-acre Hotel El Roblar first opened in 1919, before reopening as an all-inclusive, adults-only spa hotel in the 1970s onward. After the 2017 Thomas Fire, Hotel El Roblar closed indefinitely until the current team purchased it in 2019. The design was a collaborative effort between the co-owners, with Ebbink and Boudet spearheading and leading the hotel's food and beverages. Little Dom's Boudet is not an official partner at Hotel El Roblar, but collaborated on the reopening of the historic hotel. 'I could never see doing this project with anybody else,' says Ebbink. 'Brandon's been part of this process just as long as anyone else. He put his heart and soul into this business. The restaurants and bar are at the heart of the operation with Brandon's fingerprints all over them.' The updated property boasts an elegant pool, chic boutique rooms, and a stunning design that's a tribute to Spanish Revival architecture, but Hotel El Roblar's dining and drink offerings are still a main draw, with a California-Mexican menu for Condor Bar rooted in California's history. 'The menu lends itself to Mexican cuisine,' says Boudet. 'It all melds together with deep roots in California, the Old World, and Mexican techniques and ingredients.' On July 16, Condor Bar revealed its 100-seat restaurant with a menu designed for sharing. The restaurant cooks over live oak on a Santa Maria Grill, a regional barbecue set-up that hails from the 19th century in Santa Barbara County's Santa Maria Valley. In the kitchen, Boudet uses it to add smoky flavor to king oyster mushrooms with mole verde, carne asada, chicken asado, a Veracruz-style Vermillion snapper, and pork ribs al pastor served with a green papaya pineapple slaw and miso pineapple butter. Sides include sauteed chayote squash and refried pinto beans with chicken fat and chicharron. Condor Bar makes all the tortillas in-house with organic masa from Kernel of Truth, though the team is also developing its own nixtamal program. Starters include a jicama salad, oysters, wild shrimp coctel de camaron with chiles, avocado, cucumber, and local tomatoes. For guests staying overnight, La Cocina serves breakfast and lunch, including chilaquiles, a Santa Maria grilled chicken asado torta, and breakfast burritos. The 45-seat Snug Bar serves complimentary coffee and a cocktail menu. The bar is in the beginning stages of assembling an agave spirit and wine collection, with particular interest in winemakers from Baja California, California, and Spain. El Roblar's cocktails are classics with margaritas, Old Fashioneds, Palomas, and a simple carajillo with Paranubes Oaxacan Rum, Licor 43 Spanish liqueur, and fresh espresso. Hotel El Roblar resides on the same street as another historic adjacent building that was recently restored: the Ojai Playhouse on Ojai Avenue. El Roblar is a short walk away from Ojai's local favorite, Rory's Place. The charming neighborhood, with its orange groves and walkable downtown strip with the third outlet for Highly Likely, and surrounding Los Padres National Forest, Ojai continues to evolve into a dining destination for Southern California. The Condor Bar is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and La Cocina serves lunch and breakfast to guests from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The lobby's Snug Bar is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at 122 E. Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA, 93023. Duck leg carnitas at Condor Bar in Ojai. Bethany Nauert Prime arranchera steak on a Santa Maria grill. Bethany Nauert Oysters, Oaxacan After Midnight cocktail, and Best Friend cocktail. Bethany Nauert Bar closeup Gregory Goode Gregory Goode Bar view. Gregory Goode Bar adjacent dining room. Gregory Goode Patio dining. Gregory Goode Snug Bar. Gregory Goode Lobby. Gregory Goode Pool. Gregory Goode Entry. Gregory Goode Eater LA All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Business of Fashion
3 hours ago
- Business of Fashion
LuisaViaRoma Files for Court Protection Amid Deepening Financial Strain
LuisaViaRoma has filed for court protection from creditors as it undertakes financial restructuring, according to a letter sent by the luxury retailer to vendors and reviewed by The Business of Fashion. Under Italian law, companies in financial distress can file for court protection from creditors, some of whom may be threatening legal action over unpaid invoices, similar to a Chapter 11 filing in the US. Gianvito Rossi and Moschino Kids are among LuisaViaRoma's vendors who have filed legal debt collection orders, according to documents included in the Florence-based retailer's letter. The Court of Florence has scheduled a hearing for LuisaViaRoma's request for Aug. 27. LuisaViaRoma said it has over 1,250 creditors, some of which have been chasing payment for months. One American label confirmed it has not been paid by LuisaViaRoma since delivering its last purchase order in April. The label received a letter from LuisaViaRoma in late April that promised a new payment schedule to be announced in May, but this did not materialise. 'For some brands, being owed $60,000 can lead to bankruptcy,' said the sales agent of another label stocked at LuisaViaRoma that has not been paid since March. LuisaViaRoma joins a growing list of retailers struggling financially as luxury spending decelerates. In June, Saks Global reached an agreement with bondholders for $600 million in new debt, which prompted the credit rating agency S&P to downgrade the company's status and called the refinancing akin to a default. In February, Saks announced contentious new payment terms that pushed some brand partners away. Founded as a boutique in Florence in 1930, LuisaViaRoma emerged as one of the major luxury e-commerce players in Europe in recent years, with seven brick-and-mortar locations in Italy and one in New York operated by a subsidiary that opened last year. Long owned by the Panconesi family, it received a minority investment from Milan private equity firm Style Capital 2021. In the first quarter of 2025, LuisaViaRoma's sales fell 13 percent year-over-year, according to the documents reviewed by BoF. In April and May, sales contracted by more than 30 percent. In June, the retailer reduced its corporate headcount by 20 percent, or 70 roles. Around the same time, it named board member Angelo Rodolfi as chief restructuring officer. Last month, LuisaViaRoma announced the closure of its Milan office, citing a reorganisation strategy in order to streamline the business. In an interview with Women's Wear Daily published July 19, LuisaViaRoma chief executive Tommaso Maria Andorlini said the company was not seeking court mediation regarding creditor negotiations. But behind the scenes, the retailer had already sought confirmation of protections under Italian insolvency law. On July 16, LuisaViaRoma submitted an application to the Tribunal of Florence, seeking a 120-day reprieve from legal action by its vendors and financial creditors, including its main creditor UniCredit S.p.A., with whom it has a €25 million financing agreement that expired on July 21. LuisaViaRoma did not respond to a request for comment. A Struggling Business Citing 'temporary economic and financial imbalance,' LuisaViaRoma pointed to the declining luxury fashion market at large as well as US tariffs and other rising costs, such as transportation. It also outlined a number of internal missteps, including pursuing unsustainable growth. An overinvestment in inventory purchases, meanwhile, led to higher management costs and lowered margins. 'The company is now oversized and overly rigid,' it said in the July 16 filing. 'The company has incurred losses and developed a situation of financial tension, leading to overdue payables to suppliers. In turn, suppliers slowed deliveries and shortened payment terms.' Nonetheless, LuisaViaRoma has a comprehensive plan for recovery, as outlined in its request for court protection. In order to boost margins, the retailer will expand its private labels, Annagreta and The Core, which commands higher margins than third-party brands, and launch a new marketplace model that will 'unify the fragmented landscape of Italian luxury fashion distribution,' with partnerships already lined up with independent e-commerce sites Camera Buyer Italia and Additionally, LuisaViaRoma will shutter at least two stores and reduce exposure to less-profitable markets, including the US. Other cost-cutting measures include scaling back from three warehouses to just one and renegotiating payment terms with vendors.
