One of the oldest businesses in Lakewood may be closing its doors. And opening them back up with a new name, a new look and – the owners hope – a new interest from area residents.
The Lakewood El Chico, near the intersection of Abrams and Gaston, may soon be replaced with a Cantina Laredo, a more upscale Mexican food restaurant. And while there’s no definite word yet on when or if the change will occur, Lakewood residents past and present already have strong feelings about it.
That’s because the Lakewood El Chico is a historic part of the neighborhood. It’s served Tex-Mex fare to area residents since the Cuellar family first opened its doors in October 1946. It was the second location and is the oldest El Chico in operation today. Some of the employees have worked at that location for almost 50 years, and many families in the area have eaten there for almost as long.
It’s this history that Lake Highland resident P.M. Summer hates to lose. “I don’t like it,” Summers said, speaking of the possible change. “To me, it’s a landmark. I have wonderful childhood memories of the place. I remember standing in a line out the door in the 1950s, for the 99-cent enchilada special. It’s where I learned to love Mexican food.”
Still, Summer admits he’s no longer a regular customer and says he can understand why its owners may want to make the change. “The quality of the food really suffered in the 1980s, when the company went through ownership changes,” he says. “When they remodeled the building and started changing the menu, I’m sorry to say that they lost me as a loyal customer. I might stop by there occasionally now, but they’ve really never won me back. And I’m a nut about Tex-Mex food.”
Laura Cismesia, co-owner of Metro Retro, next door to El Chico, also has mixed feelings about the possible change. “It’s sad that a historic part of our neighborhood might be leaving,” she says. “Many people in the area have eaten there for ages. A group of our customers has eaten at that El Chico every Friday night for the past 26 years.
“Then again,” she says, “if the menu’s improved, that’d be a good thing. Except for Enchilada Wednesdays, it’s really never that crowded. Maybe it’ll be good for business.”
Elizabeth Mast, owner of Talulah Belle in the same shopping center, would rather not see the rumored change happen. “To me, it just screams North Dallas ,” she says. “People in the Lakewood community value the fact that we don’t look like the rest of the area. It just has a Plano chain feel to it, which I don’t think people will be real happy with. Why can’t they just put better food at the El Chico?”
Corporate Concerns
The group considering the change is Consolidated Restaurant Operations (CRO), which owns both Cantina Laredo and El Chico. Held by Gene Street and partners, CRO also owns Good Eats, Spaghetti Warehouse and Casa Rosa, among others.
Bill Watson, vice president of marketing, says CRO understands the historical significance of the restaurant and has a real concern for the Lakewood community. He says CRO is considering the change in order to keep up with what they see happening in the area.
“We’re taking a careful look at the market area around us,” Watson says. “We feel that the community has changed over the last several years. The market is affluent, and we think the community would welcome a more upscale restaurant.”
What’s the real difference between the restaurants? Like El Chico, Cantina Laredo serves Tex-Mex items. But it also features classical Mexican cooking on its menu, with daily fish specials, grilled chicken and steaks. And it’s more expensive than El Chico, with the average diner spending $5 – $6 more per meal at Cantina Laredo.
Since buying El Chico and Cantina Laredo four years ago, CRO has expanded the Cantina Laredo brand from one store to three. The oldest is in Addison, where it opened in 1988. The newest is in Grapevine, recently converted from an El Chico. The success of that conversion is a key reason why CRO is considering making the same change in Lakewood.
On The Fence
Watson offered no specifics as to when the change could take place, saying CRO is in the early stages of its decision. “We’re not gonna rush through this,” he says. “We’ve been there 55 years, and we’ve only been considering this since early August. We’re now in the process of finding what it would take to remodel and if it’s even feasible. Parking is a critical factor we’re studying.”
If CRO does go through with the changes, Watson says long-time El Chico customers will find many of their favorite items on the Cantina
