The only Jacksonville location of the Savannah, Georgia-based chain Tequila’s Town, has closed after seven years.
It was in the Harbour Village shopping center at 13475 Atlantic Blvd. near San Pablo Road.
May 31 was the restaurant’s last day, but owner Pepe Ortiz said that decision was forced about two weeks earlier when two members of the kitchen staff quit with little notice and two more employees followed suit soon after.
“Suddenly, we were without any anyone in the kitchen. We managed to stay open for like two weeks, until it was unbearable. Forget about it, let’s get out of here,” he said.
He said he had been thinking about closing for the last six months. The economy was the primary reason.
“Honestly, we were actually hardly breaking even and we were losing money. It’s just way too much overhead,” he said.
Last year, an average check for a couple would have been about $50 or $60, he said. Because of inflation and increases in consumer prices, people are coming in less often and the average check is down to $35 or $40.
Florida’s annual increase in the minimum wage also played a part.
In November 2020, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment to gradually increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. Currently, the minimum hourly wage in Florida is $14. In restaurants, non-tipped employees earn $14 an hour and tipped employees earn $10.95.
On Sept. 30, the minimum wage will increase to $15 per hour for non-tipped restaurant employees and $11.98 per hour for those who receive tips.
“Every time the minimum wage goes up, everything goes up,” Ortiz said.
A pound of hamburger cost about $2 when he opened, but has doubled since then.
“If you go down in quality, people will notice,” he said.
There are three Tequila’s Town restaurants in Savannah, Ortiz said. Tequila’s Town is family-owned.
The restaurant serves Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes and features tequila and mescal. The handwritten sign on the window of the closed restaurant reads in a capital letters: “Thank you Jacksonville for these wonderful 7 years. We are sorry to inform you that Tequila’s Town Mex. restaurant will be shutting its doors for good. We really appreciate your business and loyalty to us. From all of our staff and from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you!”
Ortiz said the warm response he had received from customers since closing may prompt him to find a smaller location for the restaurant in the area.
“They’ve been walking in and talking to us,” Ortiz said. “And all that is overwhelming. I didn’t realize how much of an impact we have caused on the neighborhood. We’re going to make a comeback.”