Latest news with #TacoMac
Miami Herald
10-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Beloved Mexican restaurant chain closes locations without warning
You may have noticed that 2025 has been chock-full of news about bankruptcies and store closures, some affecting chains that many can't believe are gone. While it's easy to blame these events on President Donald's Trump's tariffs, as they've been the big topic of the economy ever since they were announced in April, that's not the case for the most part, as many of the folded businesses have been under duress for some time. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter CVS is one of the affected businesses, reducing its footprint with as many as 270 underperforming locations scheduled to close this year. Related: Major drugstore chain closing 270 stores despite new store plans The pharmacy chain's plan is to replace these locations with smaller ones that are about 5,000 square feet or less - but only a dozen are planned, which means many areas will simply lose access to their local CVS. Another anchor retailer to wink out of existence this year was Joann, a legacy shop for crafters that had been around since 1943. But after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy once in 2024 and then a second time in January 2025, Joann was forced to close all its retail locations. While the Joann stores are gone as we knew them, they will take on a new life within Michaels, which acquired the Joann IP and brands as of June 5, 2025. Now another customer favorite business is shutting its doors, but unlike CVS and Joann, it did so without warning, not even telling employees what was happening. Taco Mac, an Atlanta-based sports bar chain that started in 1979 and has been a local favorite for decades, recently closed its Peachtree Street location in Midtown. There's nothing particularly unusual about a restaurant chain closing a location - except this one failed to let its employees know they didn't have jobs anymore. More Retail: Huge retail chain closing more stores soon (locations revealed)Struggling drugstore chain announces second bankruptcyBeloved discount grocery chain has massive US plans Employee Brandon Jovan Stephens told Fox5 in an interview that he learned about his work closing on social media and went to the restaurant to find a letter on the door that said it was permanently closed. "I worked over the weekend, Saturday and Sunday," Stephens said. "Nobody told us anything." Related: Major retailer scores huge benefit from Joann bankruptcy Just a few weeks ago, Taco Mac shut down its original location in Atlanta's Virginia-Highland neighborhood. This one was formally announced by the company, which said the closure was an evolution of a long-term strategy. The statement also said team members impacted by the closure had been offered positions at a nearby Taco Mac restaurant. In 2023, the Taco Mac location on West Ponce de Leon in Decatur also closed after 22 years in business. The letter posted at the Midtown locations addressed the chain's loyal customers, saying, "Serving this community has been an incredible honor. We've cherished every moment – from cheering on our local sports teams together to celebrating your special milestones. These memories will always be a meaningful part of our journey." The chain operated 28 locations across three states prior to these closures. TheStreet has reached out to Taco Mac to learn more. In the Atlanta subreddit, previous Taco Mac patrons talked about what may have brought the chain down after such a successful run. "If anyone has eaten there in the last 10 years they understand why. Private equity killed a great restaurant brand," said Reddit user rco8786. "In my early 20s I was a regular. My name's on a plaque in the Midtown location. I stocked my kitchen with glasses exclusively from their Thursday glass giveaways. Watched untold numbers of Georgia Tech and Braves games. Made friends with servers (that I am still friends with today!). Sad to see how bad it got." User swiftfoot_hiker echoed a similar sentiment, saying, "Taco Mac was great [when] it was a small chain, but once they expanded and was sold to the PE firm, things really went downhill. The original owners had a good thing." Related: Popular Mexican chain closing all restaurants, no bankruptcy The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Staff at popular Atlanta restaurant say they were blindsided by sudden closing
The Brief Taco Mac's Midtown location abruptly closed Monday morning, leaving employees with no prior notice, according to one former worker. Former staff say they found out through text messages, social media and a sign on the door. The company declined to explain why it shut down Atlanta's last in-town location. ATLANTA - When Taco Mac's Midtown location suddenly shut down this week, workers say they had no warning. The owners announced the closure with a letter posted in the window of the restaurant that read "Permanently Closed." "It's frustrating because it's not knowing," Brandon Jovan Stephens, a former bartender at the Midtown location, said. "Just be honest. We bust our ass here." This was the only remaining in-town location of the Atlanta-based sports bar chain. A sign on the door said, "Our dedicated team members – the true heart of Taco Mac – will be offered opportunities at nearby locations." A spokesperson for the company declined to comment further. SEE ALSO: Taco Mac suddenly shutters 2nd Atlanta location in less than 2 months What we know Stephens said he worked over the weekend and saw no sign that the restaurant would be closing. "I worked over the weekend, Saturday and Sunday," he said. "Nobody told us anything." He said he first learned of the closure on social media and went to the restaurant to see for himself. "When I found out it was really true, was this sign. When the sign is gone and it's on the door permanently closed, that's it. That's all. Yeah. We have to bow out gracefully." The backstory The Peachtree Street location's closure comes less than a month after Taco Mac announced that it was shutting down its first location in Atlanta's Virginia Highland neighborhood after 46 years in business. "We built a clientele with our regulars, you know, but for this place to be shut down like this was, was just like a slap in the face to everybody," Stephens said. Just a few weeks ago, Taco Mac shut down its Virginia-Highland location — the original. The chain, which began as a single neighborhood bar in 1979, announced that the iconic corner of N. Highland and Virginia Avenue is transitioning to a new restaurant concept as the company focuses on future growth. It will be home to Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint. Another Taco Mac location on West Ponce de Leon in Decatur closed without warning in 2023. It had been in business for 22 years. "Lot of people had this as their only job," Stephens said. "You know, some people had kids." What's next Stephens said he's trying to stay optimistic about what's ahead. "It's frustrating to me and I'm standing up for it because it affected a lot of these people that worked here, worked here for a while," he said. "You got to think about it too, when one door closes, another one opens." The Source This article is based off of original reporting by FOX 5's Rob DiRienzo.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Taco Mac's Latest Closure Feels Like a Slap in the Face
For years, Taco Mac's Midtown location on Peachtree Street was a go-to for wings, beer, and game-day crowds. But this week, the doors shut for good—and no one gave the staff a heads-up. Fox 5 Atlanta reported that according to former employees, including bartender Brandon Jovan Stephens, the closure came without warning. "I worked Saturday and Sunday like normal," he said. "Nobody told us anything." He didn't hear it from a manager, an email, or a team meeting. Like many others, Stephens found out through a text, a sign on the door, and social media posts confirming what no one at the company would explain: Taco Mac Midtown was permanently closed. "It's frustrating because it's not knowing," he said. "Just be honest. We bust our ass here." The sign taped to the door read "Permanently Closed" and included a vague note that "dedicated team members... will be offered opportunities at nearby locations." But for many staffers who relied on the Midtown gig as their primary income—some supporting families—there's no guarantee of what comes next. This closure marks the third Atlanta-area Taco Mac shutdown in two years. In 2023, the Decatur location shut down after 22 years in business. Just weeks ago, the chain shuttered its original Virginia-Highland location after 46 years, making way for a Jack Brown's Beer & Burger Joint. Midtown had been the only remaining in-town location. For Stephens and his co-workers, it feels like a gut punch. "We built a clientele with our regulars," he said. "For this place to be shut down like this was just like a slap in the face." What stings even more is the silence. No official explanation. No chance to say goodbye to coworkers or longtime customers. Just a locked door, a paper sign, and a lot of unanswered questions. Despite the setback, Stephens is trying to stay hopeful. "It affected a lot of people that worked here," he said. "But when one door closes, another one opens. That's all we can do—keep going." Why Taco Mac's Latest Closure Feels Like a Slap in the Face first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 5, 2025
Eater
03-06-2025
- Business
- Eater
Midtown Taco Mac Location Closes Within a Few Weeks of the Original
Just a few weeks after the announcement of the closing of the original Taco Mac in Virginia-Highlands, the Taco Mac in Midtown suddenly shut its doors. According to a report by Atlanta News First, a sign in the window at the store on Peachtree Street read, 'Serving this community has been an incredible honor. We've cherished every moment — from cheering on our local sports teams together to celebrating special milestones. These memories will always be a meaningful part of our journey.' The first Taco Mac opened in 1979. and its expansion locations have been local hangouts for watching sports, baskets of wings, and draft beer. When the original location shuttered, the restaurant chain stated that it was focusing on growth in the Southeast, and the closure was a strategic move. In 2021, Taco Mac closed its long-time Lindbergh location, citing safety concerns. Then in 2023, the Decatur location closed after 22 years on West Ponce de Leon Avenue. Fresh Hospitality, led by CEO and Atlantan Harold Martin, Jr., bought the Taco Mac brand in 2018. Several Taco Mac locations are still situated in areas surrounding Atlanta. Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Austell police welcome Cobb County's first-ever female chief
The Austell Police Department has announced the appointment of a new police chief. The city council voted unanimously to name Shameta Jones-Harrell as the new chief. She's the first female chief of police in the history of Cobb County. 'We are so proud of her and we know that she will do a phenomenal job in this role,' the department posted on Facebook. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Governor's office said it will start issuing special tax refund checks this week PHOTOS: 'Itsy-Bitsy, Teenie-Tiny' town is Georgia's third most visited Midtown Taco Mac abruptly closes, second location to do so in as many months [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
