Arkansas Times

Eat Arkansas

« High-end comfort foods in Memphis | Country breakfast buffet »

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Change of ownership at Juanita's

Posted by Lindsey Millar on Thu, Aug 26, 2010 at 12:42 PM

A little less than two years after he purchased Juanita's, Johnny Weaver has sold the venerable Tex-Mex restaurant and venue to Jim O'Brien and Joe Cates. O'Brien, the brother of Pulaski County Clerk Pat O'Brien, brings more than 20 years of restaurant experience, including as the owner of Larry's Pizza franchises and McDonald's franchises. Cates, the former owner of Jo Jo's BBQ in Sherwood, works by day as an account executive at Clear Channel and handles the events at the Metroplex.

According to Juanita's general manager James Synder, who helped put the deal together, the new owners are committed to improving the operation. By redoing the floors, upgrading the plates and flatware and possibly improving the patio in the rear of the venue space. New menu items could be coming, but look for the menu to remain largely the same, Synder said.

After recently scaling back the nights it served dinner, Juanita's had, in the last few weeks, quietly re-instituted dinner hours Tuesday through Saturday. Whether dinner on Monday returns or lunch, currently Monday through Friday only, returns to Saturday remains undecided, Snyder said.

On the venue side, Snyder said the only anticipated change is the addition of DJs after shows.

"Whereas now, we're known for turning on the lights after the show and watching everybody go home or go next door to Midtown, we're looking to keep the party going a little longer," Snyder said.

He also said the new owners were looking to hire a full time courtesy officer who patrolled the parking lots around the restaurant and bar throughout the night.

Cates and O'Brien officially take over on Monday.

Tags: Johnny Weaver, Joe Cates, Jim O'Brien, James Synder

        
Tweet
Share

Comments (2)

Showing 1-2 of 2

Add a comment

Interesting to note that Juanita's goes through another change of ownership after Browning's closes. Interesting, in other words, to look at some of this in light of the historical development of Mexican (or Tex-Mex) restaurants in LR.

I remember when Juanita's opened. Friends who grew up in the San Antonio area hailed it as the most authentic place going for "real" Tex-Mex food in AR. A significant improvement over Browning's. (I also remember growing up with Browning's and thinking it was a real treat to enjoy "Mexican" food there when I was a child.) Juanita's definitely did seem new, and fresh, and good to those of us who grew up thinking Browning's was the last word on Mexican food.

Gradually, though, the glow faded at Juanita's. As real Mexican places opened in the city with the influx of new residents, Juanita's offerings seemed more and more tired. And the place looked and felt tired, part of a development scheme in that part of town designed to put money into the pockets of a few folks who didn't care at all about LR and developing the downtown, but about making money . . . .

The place became shabby, more of a beer hall and music venue than a restaurant. Everything was peppered to the max--a spice Mexicans don't really feature. And it was outright dirty--just not appealing.

I'm not really sad to see some of our Tex-Mex institutions bite the dust. What gives me hope is the emergence of the new places serving real Mexican food. Meanwhile, I think the trend to more and more beer halls-cum-"restaurants" will just keep rising in LR. It's apparently what we want--or what we're going to get from those who sniff money in this trend, regardless of whether we want these places or not.

report

dislike

Posted by JusticeforAll on 08/27/2010 at 8:02 AM

Juanitas has left a lot to be desired in the food category in the last 2 years. Perhaps these new owners will revise the menu and get great cooks and keep the important live music venue as well. We'll check it out in a few weeks and hope for improvement!

report

dislike

Posted by Bayou on 08/29/2010 at 7:08 PM

Subscribe to this thread:

By Email

With RSS

Showing 1-2 of 2

More by Author

Vote for the Best of Arkansas

Vote for the Best of Arkansas.
- by Lindsey Millar
- May 10, 2012
Smith leaves, restaurants lose

KATV mainstay Pamela Smith is leaving the station at the end of the month to become the Little Rock School District's director of communications. As weekend anchor for more than a decade, she's been a familiar face to KATV viewers, who'll no doubt miss her steadiness. But one group in particular that's bound to be especially bummed by Smith's departure? Restaurant owners.
- by Lindsey Millar
- Mar 21, 2012
More »