You’ll have the remainder of this month to say goodbye to another piece of the old Washington Ave: The Guadalajara Bakery at 4003 Washington announces, through a sign posted in a front window, that it’ll be closing down on February 29th, after 45 years in business. The Houston Press‘s Katherine Shilcutt reports that new building owners have plans to turn the breakfast-taco spot on the corner of Leverkuhn into a bar, and gave the bakery 30 days to vacate; the Chavez family has no plans to reopen elsewhere.
- Openings & Closings: January 2012 [Eating Our Words]
Photo: Swamplot inbox
Good. That building is an eyesore.
I think it’s a beautiful building and the bar people will probably clean it up a bit.
It looks like those painted rectangles above the entrance could be small windows, which would be cool for a bar. Those classic double doors are probably goners though.
Yeah, it kind of is.. but ALL of washington used to be an eyesore. Now it’s just an annoyance.
Good thing you grew up living in the Taj Mahal, huh? Otherwise you would have to had eaten every meal out, no matter how good the food was that came out of the kitchen.
This is sad. I live 2 blocks from this bakery. I’m all for progress, but I would imagine this business is being priced out. From the large number of cars around the building most mornings, it is clear they are popular. Probably be replaced with more faceless stucco. 45 years of a families life! Will the new bar make that kind of run?
the business was an eye-sore, the building is worth saving. just 5 more years, and the bar strip of washington will hopefully transition into restaurant row. if only the bar owners were content with a slow drip regulars crowd of 20 something professionals, rather than the quick bucks and leave high/dry le douche club crowd.
somewhere towards I-10, bubba’s is laughing, not understanding why the competition doesn’t get this, yet his biggest problem is parking.
Bad. Those tacos are the best.
Best Calabasas in town. Really good breakfast tacos and incredibly cheap. Hate this family business is being run out to make room for another bar.
There is always ol pink and yellow aka taqueria laredo, which is much better anyway. But sad to see the lengths that gentrification has taken along douchington avenue, all hail stucco what do you mean you don’t own a BMW?!?
Another bar. How original.
I seem to remember that they were going out of business, 5-6 years ago, I guess the owner changed his mind then, and decided not to sell. If you don’t own the building it’s always a matter of time.
My fantasy is to start a small investment group that buys up classic long time Houston favorites like Guadalajara just before they give up and give them a chance to update their approach for a new generation of customers. The food at Guadalajara (while it has had some ups and downs) is really terrific. Take those great recipes, get a better location and upgrade the dining area and you could have a line down the street every day. Same for the legendary Pig Stand that is now douchebag headquarters Sawyer Park. There are plenty of up and coming areas (Ella, W19/20, Main, etc.), where you can find some cheap rent in decent digs that could be the site of a reborn Houston favorite.
Good thought old school.
Great tacos hate to see it out of business just to build another bar in Washington! Don’t you’ll people have enough bars already on Washington Ave.?