by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Just nine months after opening, Gordo’s, located in the Schultz Building on West Adams Street, has closed. Not a complete surprise, the closing comes after weeks of speculation about unpaid rent and internal conflict.
Based out of Tallahassee, Gordo’s experienced early popularity, but business quickly dropped after two management changes and repeated customer complaints of inconsistent service.
According to a source close to Gordo’s, a high rent — reportedly upwards of $4,000 month — coupled with a pricey full-liquor license was a burden to leverage against a fading lunch business.
Though originally open for dinner on weekends, hours of operation had steadily been scaled back in recent weeks, prompting talk of a closing.
However Gordo’s maintained the rumors were just that.
“We still can’t believe it,” said Lisa King, a representative with Langton Associates, a consulting firm located in the same building. “It’s really a shame. It’s very disappointing they couldn’t make it there.”
Duke Addison Commercial Real Estate, the building’s management group, was tight-lipped about the closing, saying “it just didn’t work out.”
“We can’t comment much beyond that,” said Aloma Mullins, an Addison representative. “I guess they just didn’t put enough into it to be successful there.”
Mullins added the closing was “not a surprise” — Addison has been marketing the 4,000 square-foot space for weeks — but declined comment on Gordo’s rental rate or failure to meet a payment schedule.
“We expect to find another business to open there soon,” she said. “I’d say, by summer we’ll have one.”
Calls to Gordo’s were not returned.