New Mexican restaurant opens Friday in downtown San Luis Obispo
Nearly two weeks after SloCo Pasty Co. in downtown San Luis Obispo closed its doors, a new Mexican restaurant is opening up in its space.
El Matador Authentic Mexican Food & Craft Beer is slated to open Friday in the approximate 1,750-square-foot building at 1032 Chorro St.
Co-owner Gary Pederson described the new location as ideal, adding that the space comes with a booth for the Thursday-night Farmers Market — which he considers a key component.
Owners Pederson, Salvador Ramos and Miguel Lopez also own two Mexican markets — La Reyna Market in Paso Robles and T&T Market in Avenal — and the El Camino Car Washes in Atascadero and Paso Robles.
The San Luis Obispo location will offer the same menu as the business partners’ other Mexican markets. It will also serve craft beer and wine.
Pederson plans to expand the restaurant’s catering services to the South County; the eatery caters for parties of up to 500 people, with a focus on vineyard functions.
On weekends, the restaurant will offer music and dancing in addition to food service until midnight — all efforts to attract a young crowd, Pederson said.
The restaurant will also offer a rotisserie with seasoned pork on weekends, and it will focus on takeaway food during lunch hours to accommodate downtown employees.
A little more than $150,000 was invested in opening the new space, Pederson said. The business partners purchased the furniture, fixtures and equipment from SloCo Pasty Co., but they declined to disclose a purchase price.
Strictly cosmetic changes were made to the space. The new restaurant will feature bullfighting-themed décor.
The owners signed a 12-year lease on the building, owned by Jamestown and managed by Copeland Properties.
La Reyna Market in Paso Robles slightly exceeds $1 million in annual sales, Pederson said — an amount he hopes the San Luis Obispo location will surpass.
The business will staff about 12 full- and part-time employees.
Danielle Ames: 805-781-7902
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This story was originally published March 29, 2016 at 1:19 PM with the headline "New Mexican restaurant opens Friday in downtown San Luis Obispo."