Return of Baja Sonora Restaurant in Sight

For the current calendar year, there has been a giant missing piece of the dining experience on the east side. Because of an extended remodeling process, the local Baja Sonora Mexican restaurant has been closed, its interior intact while the outside shell and roof underwent replacement. Despite the extended closing, “They did not tear out the structure,” said Baja Sonora co-owner, Mary Sophiea.

The remodel process was originally “supposed to be four months, then six months. Now, it’s a year plus,” said Sophiea. Best case, Baja Sonora will reopen in the middle of February 2018 after being closed since January 2017.

Baja Sonora co-owner Mike Mendelsohn recalled that in June 2016, the owners of the center, Wolfe Properties of St. Louis, said “You’re all going to be closed for six months. Everyone gets January to move out and we will start to renovate in February.” Wolfe spoke of a new façade, new roof, new plumbing, new electrical, with everything brought up to code and a new parking lot.”

The new parking lot turned out to be a resurfacing, with the same number of parking spaces. However, 25 spaces across the street have been rented for employees at the 5000 building, which should relieve some stress on the parking situation.

With a gleaming new metallic and matching wood façade in place, Sophiea said, “they’ve started the demolition inside. Changes will amount to a new ceiling, new equipment, double-paned windows and two rest rooms. We just signed a ten-year lease.”

A year ago, Mendelsohn had a unique and creative plan to avoid layoffs of his dozen or so restaurant staff. A taco truck parked at the curb in front of the restaurant, which would keep about a half dozen employees serving customers. “When the center reopens, we will reopen,” said Mendelsohn at the time. “It’s kind of a short-term solution in an effort to keep focused on our brand, keep a core group of our employees, who’ve been with us for 19 years. We can’t use a bus boy in a truck, there’s no room. We can’t wait to come back “

That plan worked out in a marginal way until the summer months. At no time was there a customer line approaching what patrons experienced in the restaurant setting. “It saved our employees, but it was very tough,” said Sophiea. “Because we opted to stay in that location, we made enough money to pay our employees. People in Long Beach were wonderful to us. But when it was 90 degrees and 90 percent humidity” in July or August, the truck idea was abandoned.

“We moved into Atlantic Avenue and Los Alamitos, where the restaurant was doing much better. We kept every one of them, two of our staff at Atlantic. Los Alamitos has the Clark staff now and our employees are generally happy. The core people with us for ten-plus years have stayed. A couple are coming back: When we come back, they come back.”

“That truck is gone,” as it was leased. “It just cost a lot. Mike did a lot of the work,” said Sophiea. “It was not a good idea to be out there in the heat. Mike has worked so hard. He had to do all the heavy lifting. He’s lost 20 pounds.”

The Time Square sign has been replaced by a larger model. As to other tenants in the center, “I believe a Chinese restaurant” will move into the one-time Taco Bell location as there “can only be two restaurants” at the center, said Sophiea. That prospect was also confirmed by a project manager on-site. The other spaces are apparently yet to be leased. It is also unknown whether the retail liquor store will return to the endcap, or be replaced by a similar outlet. Sophiea hopes that will happen, but has no further information.

Attempts to reach the leasing company, Centers Business Management of Los Angeles, or the leasing agent, Geoffrey Grossman, by email or by phone were unsuccessful.

As much as half the customer base switched over to the Los Alamitos location, Sophiea said, “We hope Los Alamitos continues to have a customer base. Last Tuesday, we had a line through the door.”

“No matter what it took, the current owners did an A-plus job,” said Sophiea. “They did not skimp on a thing.” Even the drainage ditch abutting the center at Spring Street was covered and is separated by a new wall. The layout’s the same, new parking lot, new sidewalk, new roof.

“I call it the Cheers of Long Beach. It’s where people go when they lose their husband or wife, or on 9-11, when we were packed. We might not have those horrible yellow walls anymore. All new equipment, but for our customers, nothing has changed.”

steve@beachcomber.news