A popular Mexican restaurant will close its Spenard location after 42 years in business.
Managers of La Mex announced Monday they will shut down the eatery at 2550 Spenard Rd. after a two-day “closing fiesta” that will run Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14.
La Mex in South Anchorage at 8330 King St. will remain open.
“We will be giving away hundreds of special La Mex shirts from throughout the years, which have been locked away in our vault, along with other La Mex memorabilia,” employees wrote.
The closure is the second for the local chain in recent years: a downtown location closed, and the building has since become Platinum Jaxx nightclub.
La Mex owner Trina Johnson said numerous factors contributed to her decision to close the Spenard restaurant.
One of the biggest was the lack of family members to help her run the business, compared when her father opened the restaurant in 1969.
Johnson said she ran the kitchen starting at age 16.
"We always had a good seven family members helping," Johnson said. "I was like a mini version of my father."
Johnson said the Spenard location's aging look, dominated by dark decor and a bar, contributed to an atmosphere which favored a declining base of long-term customers over a younger crowd that found the vibe off-putting.
Increasing traffic in Spenard was another problem, and so was the growing array of Mexican restaurants around town, Johnson said. By her guess, there are 40 in Anchorage now, though La Mex was the first.
Employees learned of the decision a few weeks ago.
Johnson said La Mex employees average 15 to 20 years of experience and that she wanted to minimize layoffs. Some workers have already found other jobs at Spenard restaurants within walking distance of their homes and many others will move to the Dimond location.
The move is tough for Johnson: "The Spenard La Mex will never be the Spenard La Mex again," she said.