3 businesses — including 2 restaurants — abruptly close at SLO marketplace. What happened?
Three businesses have abruptly closed in the San Luis Obispo Public Market, leaving a number of prominent vacancies at one of the city’s previously buzziest shopping centers.
Rambling Spirits Bar & Grill, fresh food grocery Bishop’s Market and oyster bar Peixes have all closed, G3 Concepts Real Estate president Taylor Judkins confirmed to The Tribune on Friday. G3 Concepts owns the Public Market.
“They have ceased operations and (we) are actively looking for new operators,” Judkins said.
The three businesses all were owned and operated by the same group, Judkins said, a “private equity firm based in Boston.” Public documents like health inspections and alcohol licenses listed the owner of the three businesses as CS Beverage Company LLC.
Rambling Spirits, the restaurant for a Central Coast distillery of the same name, was one of the Public Market’s earliest tenants; it opened in October 2022 under the leadership of husband-and-wife team Jon Carpenter and Ariette Armella.
Peixes and Bishop’s Market were more recent additions, opening in November and April, respectively. At the time of the opening, executive chef Omar Rojas led both businesses.
The businesses had not announced their closures on their various social media platforms or on their websites as of Friday afternoon, nor were any signs posted at the establishments in the Public Market.
Doors at Rambling Spirits and Bishop’s Market were closed with nobody inside the businesses. Peixes, which is located in the Public Market’s larger cafeteria building, also appeared dark with no employees behind the counter.
The names of all three businesses had also been removed from directory signage at the Public Market.
On Friday, Judkins said there had already been inquiries about two of the soon-to-be-vacant spaces, and the company was “working on finding replacement tenants.”
“But for now, both (restaurant) spaces are for lease,” Judkins said.
Why did businesses close at SLO Public Market?
It is unclear what prompted the closures. Tribune requests for comment from the businesses’ management were not returned as of Friday afternoon.
Rumors abounded in light of the abrupt departures, with some questioning what was going on.
In a comment on one such public Facebook post Aug. 1, the San Luis Obispo Public Market’s official Facebook page shared further details of the closures.
“Just a friendly reminder that rumormongering is not helpful or productive and can only serve to hurt other small businesses in our community,” the post read.
The post confirmed that Rambling Spirits and Bishop’s Market had closed and that the two were under the same management group. The comment said that Peixes remained opened, but it has since closed.
SLO Public Market said it had been assured all employees were paid or would be within 24 hours of the closures.
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