Both Louisville Business First and the Courier Journal report the permanent closing of Taco Luchador’s downtown location at 500 W. Jefferson Street.
LBF’s reporter Haley Cawthon takes note of the multiple issues currently combining to create a perfect storm for downtown eateries.
“Business was tough with no downtown traffic,” said Tyler Glick, who represents Ole Hospitality Group, owners of the El Taco Luchador brand. “That location was very dependent on lunch, but there is hardly any downtown lunch traffic to be had these days.”
Many downtown eateries have been temporarily closed primarily due to diminished office and tourist traffic and restricted capacity levels. Also, many Central Business District businesses still have their windows boarded up for fear of damage escalating from peaceful protests.
Four El Taco Luchador locations remain open for business (Baxter Avenue, St. Matthews, Jeffersontown and Colonial Gardens). The downtown shop opened in 2018, as reported by our own chronicler, Ron Mikulak.
The apparent continuing hunger of Louisvillians for dining out has encouraged seven existing restaurants to expand into additional locations. It has been a rare F&D issue in recent years when we have not had occasion to list a new venture from Fernando Martinez’s Olé Restaurant Group. This issue, we note the opening of the third El Taco Luchador downtown at 500 W. Jefferson St. where a Zoe’s Kitchen had a nice run.
