Anyone craving a plate of hot fajitas or a cold margarita will have to drive past Chevy's Fresh Mex in Dixon and search elsewhere.
The popular Mexican eatery has closed its doors in Dixon as of Sunday, according to a Chevy's employee who answered the phone Monday afternoon. The employee said she was not allowed to talk to the media and referred Dixon Patch to a Chevy's spokesperson.
"Despite the best efforts of the team, the restaurant hasn't performed well for quite some time," Chevy's spokesman Rick Van Warner said.
Van Warner said the Chevy's in Dixon is one of a few restaurants that the chain closed down over the last few weeks due to sagging sales.
"Overall, Chevy's is well," he said. "Unfortunately, when you have a restaurant chain the size of Chevy's there are some restaurants that aren't going to perform as well."
Chevy's in Dixon first opened its doors in 1990 Van Warner said.
"It's a pretty long run for a restaurant in many cases," he said.
Although Van Warner stated that Chevy's parent company, Real Mexican Restaurants, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2011, he said the decision to shut down the restaurant had nothing to do with that. He said the Chevy's is currently in the process of being sold to bondholders and the decision to close under-performing restaurants is part of the restructuring of the business.
Van Warner said that restaurants in California have had a tough go at it, mainly because of the economy.
Employees of Dixon's Chevy's will either be transferred to neighboring restaurants, or be given severance pay, Van Warner said. Although he could not provide the number of employees who were transferring and those receiving the severance pay in Dixon, some employees are still thinking about what they want to do, he said a normal Chevy's restaurant has a crew of 40 people comprised of three full-time managers and staff.
Chevy's was heavily involved in Dixon, helping raise funds for such ventures as youth sports and the Dixon Teen Center.
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Will you miss the restaurant? Are you willing to travel to Vacaville or Davis for your Fresh Mex cravings?
