Last night our family said goodbye to an old friend. Not a typical friend, a school buddy, a favorite neighbor, but rather a restaurant. I know, I know, it probably sounds silly, but this was our favorite restaurant in our little area. It was not quite a "hole in the wall" or a "dive" but certainly isn't anything like the big commercialized chains that pop up everywhere... this was our very favorite little Mexican food place, Tio Leo's.
Now, I have lived in this particular part of San Diego for the better part of 33 years. (I know what you're asking yourself..."She's that old?") and Tio Leo's has been part of my life for just over 26 of those years. I graduated High School here in 1982 (there, it's out there, you all know how old I am now!) and it opened that same year. Many of my friends had their graduation dinners there, and celebrated different occasions there over the years...I remember going there with a friend of mine, and our boyfriends (who were twins, and in the Navy- interesting story for another time...) before we even graduated from school, one of my first "real" dates....Over the years, along with family and friends, I would venture to say that I'd been there hundreds of times. I'd been to birthday celebrations, baby showers, karaoke evenings in the bar, alumni get togethers, you name it. It always was fun, and it always felt like home. We spoke with one of the owners last night, and he told us that it wasn't his choice to leave. He said the landlord wouldn't renew their lease....after 26 years they'd have to go...our beloved Tio Leo's will be demolished, and in just a few short months it will be replaced by a Walgreen's. I guess it could be worse...they could be turning it into another mattress store or another bank, we have those on every corner here (and tell me, please, who's got any money to put in a bank right now??) Our little part of this area doesn't have a Walgreen's...of course there is a CVS right across the street, but that doesn't count, right?
I hear Walgreen's is a great little store, and they have everything you're looking for...I wonder if they'll have my # 1 special...a beef taco, cheese enchilada, rice and beans...and the best salsa in the world. I bet not.
Now, I have lived in this particular part of San Diego for the better part of 33 years. (I know what you're asking yourself..."She's that old?") and Tio Leo's has been part of my life for just over 26 of those years. I graduated High School here in 1982 (there, it's out there, you all know how old I am now!) and it opened that same year. Many of my friends had their graduation dinners there, and celebrated different occasions there over the years...I remember going there with a friend of mine, and our boyfriends (who were twins, and in the Navy- interesting story for another time...) before we even graduated from school, one of my first "real" dates....Over the years, along with family and friends, I would venture to say that I'd been there hundreds of times. I'd been to birthday celebrations, baby showers, karaoke evenings in the bar, alumni get togethers, you name it. It always was fun, and it always felt like home. We spoke with one of the owners last night, and he told us that it wasn't his choice to leave. He said the landlord wouldn't renew their lease....after 26 years they'd have to go...our beloved Tio Leo's will be demolished, and in just a few short months it will be replaced by a Walgreen's. I guess it could be worse...they could be turning it into another mattress store or another bank, we have those on every corner here (and tell me, please, who's got any money to put in a bank right now??) Our little part of this area doesn't have a Walgreen's...of course there is a CVS right across the street, but that doesn't count, right?
I hear Walgreen's is a great little store, and they have everything you're looking for...I wonder if they'll have my # 1 special...a beef taco, cheese enchilada, rice and beans...and the best salsa in the world. I bet not.
2 comments:
OH NO!!!!!! And I mean OH NO!!!!!!! That was/is our favorite Mexican Restaurant too!! This is a sad, sad day that not even a frap can help :(
I would even use their catering services for staff functions! Oh, a sad day indeed.
My husband and I actually just talked about this a few days ago. How the franchises are taking over the world and the independent guys are dying off one by one. A Walgreens?? Come on! I bet Tio Leo's had the best margarita's in the world too. Those places always do.
If you ever come to AZ, give me a call and I will take you to a little hole in the wall called Caramba. I think we have put the owner's kids through college. If they closed, we would starve.
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