San Luis Obispo Tribune Logo

Biz Buzz: SLO Baja Fresh the latest casualty of the economy | San Luis Obispo Tribune

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Customer Service
    • Contact Us
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Submit an Event
    • Buy Photos
    • News in Education
    • FAQ
    • Activate Digital Subscription
    • Manage Account
    • Newsletters

    • News
    • Local
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Investigations
    • California
    • California Weed
    • Nation & World
    • Lottery
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • Submit a News Tip
    • Columns
    • Photos from the Vault
    • Weather Watch
    • Joetopia
    • That's SLO Weird
    • Sports
    • Outdoors
    • High School
    • Cal Poly
    • MLB
    • MLB Scores & Stats
    • NBA
    • NBA Scores & Stats
    • NFL
    • NFL Scores & Stats
    • Politics
    • The California Influencer Series
  • Business
    • Living
    • Food & Drink
    • Wine & Beer
    • Home & Garden
    • Travel
    • Columns
    • Linda Lewis Griffith
    • Pet Tales
    • Entertainment
    • Arts & Culture
    • Comics
    • Puzzles & Games
    • Horoscopes
    • Restaurants
    • Events Calendar
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Viewpoints
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Submit a Letter
    • Columnists
    • Tom Fulks
    • Andrea Seastrand
  • Obituaries
  • The Cambrian

  • Contests
  • Today's Circulars
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
    • Homes
    • Real Estate Weekly
  • Place An Ad

  • About Us
  • Work For Us
  • Mobile & Apps

Business

Biz Buzz: SLO Baja Fresh the latest casualty of the economy

    ORDER REPRINT →

May 05, 2010 09:42 PM

Baja Fresh Mexican Grill in downtown San Luis Obispo closed this week, a victim of the weakened economy, a corporate spokesman said.

The restaurant was owned by Paul Knecht, who purchased two Baja Fresh restaurants, one at 1085 Higuera St. and a second at 933 Rancho Parkway in Arroyo Grande, in 2004 from Tom and Hope Molyneux. The Arroyo Grande location remains open.

Knecht, founder and president of the national purchasing group Anthony Owen Co. in San Luis Obispo, owns franchise rights to all Baja Fresh restaurants in northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County. He did not return calls from The Tribune on Wednesday.

He worked as an apprentice chef in Guadalajara, Mexico, and owned several Mexican restaurants in Washington before moving to San Luis Obispo.

SIGN UP

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Tribune

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

— Julie Lynem New hours for Paso’s Panolivo

Panolivo restaurant is reinventing itself and its operations, owner Didier Cop said.

The Paso Robles restaurant is now open seven days a week, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Diners will be seated from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The restaurant stopped serving dinner daily in 2007 because business had slowed but restarted a year later, offering dinner only Fridays and Saturdays. The French bistro’s San Luis Obispo location closed in 2006.

The change is occurring now to simplify the restaurant’s hours for customers and because Cop’s wife and co-owner, Beatrice, has recuperated from a shoulder operation and is able to help oversee the restaurant. The economy is also starting to see some signs of recovery, Cop noted.

He has hired seven new employees and added some small touches to the interior, making it more open.

“Things are getting a little bit better,” he said. “The new reality is that this is going to be a slow recovery. We want to do what is right for the community as well as be realistic.”

Panolivo has changed its dinner pricing so that it’s more in line with lunch. Entrees will be priced between $12 and $19, he said. As well, the restaurant will offer lighter fare in the evening, including Panini sandwiches and salads.

Cop is also tweaking the restaurant’s name slightly to reflect an emphasis on family dining. It will be called Panolivo Family Bistro.

“We are finalizing a very extensive kids menu, providing healthy alternatives as well as all-time favorites,” Cop said. “There will be a lot of choices for kids and adults.”

— Julie Lynem

• • •



World Rhythm and Motion Dance Studio has moved to a new San Luis Obispo location at 207 Suburban Road, Unit C.

The studio has been providing cultural dance and drumming lessons on the Central Coast since 1998. It offers classes in hoop dance, hip-hop, aerial dance and belly dancing, and it hosts several dance troupes.

— Julia Hickey

  Comments  

Videos

Why is housing more affordable in Guadalupe?

Cara Crye’s advice to the The Tribune’s 2018 Top 20 Under 40 winners

View More Video

Trending Stories

The legend returns: Willie Nelson is coming to Paso Robles

February 19, 2019 11:31 AM

SLO County is the 7th least affordable place to buy a home in the entire United States

February 19, 2019 06:47 PM

2 arrested in connection with armed robbery, attempted carjacking at Pirate’s Cove

February 19, 2019 07:32 AM

Dear Trib: Bring back ‘Non Sequitur’

February 19, 2019 01:39 PM

Gavin Newsom’s housing lawsuit put 47 California cities on notice. Is yours on the list?

February 19, 2019 12:00 AM

Read Next

Muslim group seeks congressional probe on terror watchlist

Business

Muslim group seeks congressional probe on terror watchlist

By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 20, 2019 01:50 PM

A Muslim civil-rights group is calling for a congressional investigation after its lawsuit revealed the federal government has given access to its terrorist watchlist to more than 1,400 private entities, including hospitals and universities.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The Tribune

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE BUSINESS

The Latest: UK’s May, EU’s Juncker say talks ‘constructive’

Business

The Latest: UK’s May, EU’s Juncker say talks ‘constructive’

February 20, 2019 11:38 AM

Business

The Latest: French court fines Swiss bank UBS $4.2 billion

February 20, 2019 05:09 AM
The Latest: Retailers oppose cap on sales tax reimbursement

Business

The Latest: Retailers oppose cap on sales tax reimbursement

February 20, 2019 01:52 PM
Brazil’s president: Workers must put in more years to retire

Business

Brazil’s president: Workers must put in more years to retire

February 20, 2019 01:50 PM

Business

The Latest: DOT leader says transportation system declining

February 20, 2019 01:48 PM
Thanks in a tank: WWII gunner, now 95, gets a nostalgic ride

Business

Thanks in a tank: WWII gunner, now 95, gets a nostalgic ride

February 20, 2019 01:48 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

San Luis Obispo Tribune App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Archives
Advertising
  • Place a Classified Ad
  • Advertise with Us
  • Local Deals
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story