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A slew of restaurant closures in San Luis Obispo County in 2024

January 5, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

It is likely one of your favorite restaurants closed in 2024. There were dozens of restaurants in San Luis Obispo County that closed down last year, primarily victims of the down ecconomy.

During the pandemic, many restaurants grappled with financial issues because of closures. Following the closures, many families hit hard by inflation stopped dining out as often as they did before.

Meanwhile, rising food costs, utility bills, rents and employee wages have brutalized the industry.

Noteworthy 2024 restaurant closures

F. McLintocks Saloon and Dining House closed after decades in Arroyo Grande, Shell Beach and San Luis Obispo.

In March, noting rising costs – such as food and insurance – McLintocks decided to end their lease and close the Arroyo Grande location. Six months later, McLintocks closed its steak houses in San Luis Obispo and Shell Beach.

In 1973, McLintocks opened its first restaurant in Shell Beach. Two years later, the company opened in San Luis Obispo. The Arroyo Grande location opened in 1984.

Spyglass Inn Restaurant in Shell Beach shuts down after 37 years.

After more than 37 years in business, Spyglass Inn Restaurant in Shell Beach closed its doors in October.

With beautiful panoramic ocean views, the restaurant was a favorite with both locals and tourists. Even so, at the end of their current lease, the owners decided to retire.

Mother’s Tavern closes after 30 years in San Luis Obispo.

The popular San Luis Obispo bar, restaurant and music venue closed after 30 years in May.

Opened in 1994, the restaurant was a Cal Poly student favorite hangout spot, which on weekends often sported a long line of students waiting to go inside.

Eric Peterson, owner of North County Restaurant Group, took over the space from Mother’s owner Bill Hales. Peterson has since opened Feral Kitchen and Lounge, which boasts an intriguing menu that includes, rabbit, duck and other unusual delicacies.

Mexican restaurant in Morro Bay shuts its doors after 39 years.

After nearly 40 years serving the community, Lolo’s Mexican Restaurant in Morro Bay closed in August. The restaurateur owners, Nick and Becky Mendoza, decided to retire.

Italian restaurant in Templeton closes after 15 years.

After 15 years in business, Griff’s Bistro and Pizzeria in Templeton shut down in October.

While multiple restaurants throughout San Luis Obispo County have closed since the pandemic, family restaurants such as Griff’s Bistro and Pizzeria have noted the largest declines in patronage in the past few years.

Dan’s Grub Shack in Atascadero closes after 14 years.

After 14 years in business, Dan’s Grub Shack in Atascadero shut it doors, another victim of the economy.

SLO Provisions in San Luis Obispo closes after nine years.

Known for its rotisserie chicken and takeout options, SLO Provisions in San Luis Obispo closed in October after nine years.

Ike’s Love and Sandwiches closed its restaurants in San Luis Obispo and Templeton.

Ike’s Love and Sandwiches closed both its San Luis Obispo and Templeton locations in November. The popular chain out of San Fransisco includes more than 70 California locations.

In 2019, the chain began serving customers in San Luis Obispo. The Templeton sandwich shop opened in 2021.

Vic’s Cafe in Paso Robles closed after 80 years.

After more than 80 years in business, Vic’s Cafe in Paso Robles served its last customer at the end of 2023.

The owners pointed at financial issues caused by the COVID pandemic and the city’s paid parking program as reasons for the closure.

 


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Jeebus H Crimany! The amount of disconnect and aloof obliviousness is ASTOUNDING here in the comment section! But NO surprise. As observation will find half the country busy in the art of bickering amongst each other as the other half, it appears, find it suitable to live life with their head firmly implanted INSIDE of their own rectums! Meanwhile, here in ACTUAL reality the state of the countries financial woes, societal fracturing and political cesspool continue to circle the drain at a continuously excellerating clip! But never mind that, as the next politi-cite, up-and-coming, shiny new toy will be the ONE who pulls us out of this misery loop…RIGHT? Oh, RATS! You mean to tell me NONE of these half cooked, lie-through-their-teeth con-men AND women have a lack of thought concerning the general public? Well WHO’DA thunk THAT? Guess what folks. You DONT live in a Democracy! That shit was hijacked YEARS ago, and thats IF it EVER existed after the first couple of decades after the founding of this Nation to begin with. Your ENTRENCHED, CRIMINAL, ASSHATTERY of a Political Circle Jerk is made up of a bunch of parasitic, thieving, egomaniac’s who have one thing on their agenda and ONE thing only…the enrichment of THEMSELVES AND THEIR OWN, and that it comes at YOUR own, MINE, and every other PLEBISCITE’S misery and destruction means absolutely SQUAT to them! And yet still, here you sit, bickering amongst each other, ignorant, enamored or OBLIVIOUS to the REAL goings on behind the veil of deceit you all have FOOLISHLY allowed to be cast over and in front of your own eyes. Reveling in your own stupidity, loyalty and disconnection. You will all see us ALL burned to cinders before pulling your head out from behind your sphincter. BAH! To hell with it all! All you tools deserve EVERY inch of despair and destruction YOU YOURSELVES have helped fulfill by continuing to find fit to keep your heads buried in the sand. Hope you ALL enjoy the DYSTOPIA you ALL have helped usher in!


-27

Article 4 sec. 4 of the Constitution guarantees a republican from of government.

Democracy is a euphemism for socialism and should never exist in free market society.


0

I was there last weekend, Arizona, the land of affordable housing and many Californians are now living there too. Good God, what will they do after the golf game is over and or fun is not fun anymore? No matter how bad it is, hold tight and fix it, California is beautiful and comfortable. I say just buy a crappy house where the climate does not require utilities to stay alive. Sadly, that will be somewhere near the coast and real estate will cost to be comfortable but there are other nearby locations that can be more affordable and with minor improvements be cost effective. Yes, Arizona has it’s greener on the other side of the boarder mentality, but you will need to embrace rocks not trees. Excepting the White Mountains.


4

Oh yes the why to stay on topic, the big choice for many is, do we eat out or do we pay the rent?


0

In other news, restaurants that have good food and atmosphere, continue doing business as usual.


13

California is an economic disaster, if you can’t see that you’re not paying attention.


31

The whole world is in a state of economic calamity unless you are Musk, Besos, and Zuckerface.


-7

I’ll believe that when I see fewer large SUVs, Teslas and BMWs on the roads or fewer people in Las Vegas (one-third of LV visitors are from California) or my neighbor’s 2-bedroom, 1400 sq ft house not about to be sold for $1.2 million.


3

Dan’s Grub Shack closed because of location—a victim of a shopping center with a Kmart in it. Kmart filed for bankruptcy in 2018, when, according to Trump, we had the greatest economy in the history of the world. So, this claim that it was “another victim of the economy” is really not factual. Other restaurants have opened in Atascadero and seem to be doing fine—go to the Nest (opened only a few years ago) for lunch and see if you don‘t have to wait for a table.


-18

Really not your best work Karen… Some of these closed because the owners retired, some of them were sold, and some of them were closed because the owner had run them into the ground, not because of a bad economy. There were also a slew of restaurants that opened last year and reporting on that might help throw some business their way. People love to blame the economy for their poor management skills.


-16

Rising food costs, utility bills, rents and employee wages have brutalized the industry.

Thank you Karen for being brutally honest.


33

It’s more complicated than bad management or bad economy. Many of us who can afford to eat out choose not to anymore because the value of being served a meal is no longer worth the price.


48

Covert socialism has been undermining the benefit in California governance. Yes, Government in California has outpriced the benefits derived. Our leadership should carry plastic bags to session so that they can pick up after themselves as they vote for their constituents.


-4

Their constituents being whom? Labor union bosses? The politicians themselves? Big businesses that kept right on going all through COVID while simultaneously attempting to wipe out small businesses?


1

“Victim” is laughable and the “economy” is not to blame. Make good food selling at a reasonable price and you’ll be in business forever.


-19

Obviously you have never had to run a business before. Building the best product in the world does not mean success. Study economics and then tell me again how all you have to do is build the best mousetrap to be successful.


12

Right on Shocked. But, “never had to run a business” is only one of two obvious conclusions. Also has clearly done the polar opposite of “run a busiiness”, worked in government where merit is a foreign concept, and revenue is easily acquired, essentially infinjte, and excessive (to say the least).


4

And yet the state california just raised mi imum wage another $.50 per hour on Jan 1st. Guess what now the minimum wage is 16.50 an hour, but it does not matter if no one is hiring. Go figure!!!!


26

We need another law. All politicians should be required to run a successful restaurant for a year before they pass any legislation affecting wages and regulations. How well could they do?


31

I’d prefer term limits for all offices.


23

spot on.


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