High Tech Burrito on Ygnacio Valley Rd. in Walnut Creek is permanently closed, according to a sign on their door.
The restaurant, which is across from Heather Farm Park, has been in business for over 23 years.
High Tech’s other restaurants, one of which is in Alamo, are still open for business.
67 comments
Thanks Gav.
Normally I’d say they should go to their government and petition to redress their grievance regarding being forcibly shut down and bankrupted. But apparently that is a non-essential activity, and the most powerful persons in the country are unelected health officials that will never have to look the employees of these businesses in the eyes.
But if it saves one life, right?
Another one bites the dust. The longer we’re locked down, and only “essential” businesses are “allowed” to stay open, the more destruction we’ll see. When we’re finally “allowed” out to go about our lives, what will the landscape look like? How many empty storefronts? How many unemployed people, and businesses owners with bankrupt businesses? How many deaths from addiction and overdoses?
There are real costs to this lockdown action, a real human toll. As Thomas Sowell has said, “There are no solutions, only trade offs.”
The governor and health departments have decided that saving people from Covid 19 is worth the human misery and deaths from other causes, including undiagnosed and untreated diseases.
Better alive than dead. Sure, let’s ignore COVID19 completely and see how that would have gone for us. The fact is that it is the leading cause of death per day now that is with shelter in place and the still inadequate number of tests being done.
Also, this burrito place (never been there) could have stayed open like every other restaurant that is serving take out and to go orders. Maybe they did and it still couldn’t keep the doors open. Yes, it is sad and I feel for small businesses and the workers. However, I’d sacrifice my paycheck to keep those I love alive. Anyone that thinks otherwise is a heartless SOB.
The mortality rate in the US is over 5%, but that is most likely too high so let’s say its 1 or 2 percent. I want you to think of 100 people you care about. Randomly pick 2 people and call them up and say that you think they should die so that you can go back to work. That’s basically what you’re saying when you think this is all a hoax. That’s the part that makes no sense to me. Why would you willingly destroy your economy to “control” the population. The reason California has the power it has is because of our economy and the number of people living here.
Anybody who thinks this lockdown is going to keep them from EVER getting the virus is delusional. Unless you stay in quarantine forever, you’re eventually going to catch it. It might not happen this year, but there’s always next year. And the vast majority of people will be fine afterwards.
You can’t destroy millions of lives to save a few. That’s just not a sustainable economic model.
5% is laughably high, and 1 or 2% is probably an order of magnitude high as well.
So when I go to Home Depot to get some fertilizer for my houseplants, that’s OK and safe enough, or they are essential, whatever. But if I want to go get a burrito and sit down for ten minutes while I eat it, that is dangerous and non essential. Got it.
And i never said this is all a hoax. It is clearly a very serious public health crisis. But this absolutely idiotic, inflexible, all-or-nothing approach is ridiculous.
I’m happy for the people that have the luxury of sitting this whole thing out while ordering groceries delivered online. There are others that don’t enjoy that luxury.
I have been working grocery since this thing started. None of us has gotten sick. Maybe that will change, maybe we’ll we’ll have an outbreak and some of us will die. But I tend to doubt it. Is anyone doing antibody tests on us to find out if we have been exposed? That might be useful information for public policy, no? But of course not, just keep things shut down, that is the politically safest way to go.
I’ve got news for people. People are back on the road. Traffic is picking up, and more people are out and about. You can’t keep a lid on thos forever, so better start figuring out how to do this intelligently, or it will happen on it’s own regardless.
Pyrrhus,
Your comments are not going to age well…….
It saves lives by not overwhelming the healthcare system. We can’t even test properly, what makes you think we are prepared for a complete onslaught? You do that and now people that could have been saved die, people that have other conditions die because hospitals have to prioritize care. People point out that hospitals are empty and that they are cutting back on staff. Yeah, they are cutting back on staff because those are the non essential services. Go talk to a nurse or doctor and they will tell you this is necessary and that there is a lack of test kits and a lack of PPE.
Stop fear-mongering. One of the biggest problems with this thing is people taking it out of perspective, and either completely overreacting or underreacting. 2 out of every 100 people are not going to die from this. That would be about 6.6 million people in the US. We’re not even remotely close, and we never are going to be, even if we open back up. Geez, calm down. I agree with “Jla”, look back at your comment a year from now.
Not overwhelming the system is actually fairly valid, and the main reason why people allowed this whole thing to happen to begin with. We all saw Italy, and agreed it was the right thing to do to protect out healthcare workers and try to save the most lives possible.
Nearly two months later, it is ridiculous to contend that the same conditions apply. Circumstances have changed, and we have more data. My neighbor is in medical imaging. He scans people for temperatures at admittance to get work these days. They are sending people home early every day. But we can just borrow another trillion from our future selves to bail out the hospitals too, if it saves one life…
“Better alive than dead.”
Does that apply to all circumstances? Trading freedom for safety is not worth it to a reasonable adult.
@Wage Slave:
“But if it saves one life, right?”
Wanna have some fun? Ask a leftist if that can be applied to other topics. For example, if a wall and other security measures can prevent just one murder committed by an illegal alien, it’s worth it, right?
Pyrrhus the virus is not the leading cause of death in CC County. Every year we have around 7000 deaths in total. Now we have 32 deaths in total from virus after like 2 plus months. This is like a 3% increase from average.
Deaths in the entire US are around 2.5 million per year and we have 80000 from virus with an inflated count that offsets some of the normal deaths. So yes there are more deaths than in an average year but not the huge increases being tossed out by some.
Unfortunately we’re going to see more businesses close. This is only the beginning.
If you think the homeless population is bad now, just wait until peoples unemployment run out and they start getting evicted.
Why couldn’t they be open for takeout during the lock down, every other burrito place was?
Even with takeout businesses are struggling as a large segment of the population is so terrified to go outside and all economic activity has slowed dramatically (see California’s estimated sales tax shortage).
I knew the daughter and son-in-law of this chain’s founders… They are both good people, so I assume the Founder are too… Don’t know if they still own it or not….
They had a Cajun Shrimp Burrito that was Amazing!
Be surprised if more than have of the restaurants survive.
This place served horrible food and their cleanliness when preparing dishes was even worse. I had a buddy who worked there as a chef and told me to never get food from that location, he himself wouldn’t eat food from that spot. What we are seeing here is the closing of restaurants and businesses that had horrible business models and horrible products.
And yes @Wage Slave one life is worth way more than any dollar amount you can imagine. For those of you that think money is more important than life I feel really sorry for you people. Maybe you’ll understand the importance of life one day, hopefully before it’s too late.
OMG, you people are sad….way to kick a business when they are down (and out) and by the way basic economics will tell you that most businesses won’t survive indefinitely if they can’t open (you still have costs that are fixed)…spoken like a good young comrade that I am sure you are.
What about all the life’s lost from not getting diagnostic check ups or surgeries. Cancer, Heart, Stroke and Depression just to name a few.
Spoken like someone still collecting a paycheck……. who knows nothing of the restaurant business.
So if it costs one trillion dollars to perform a treatment on grandma to help her live 6 more months, we do it, or we are heartless? Sure, you could pay off every student loan in existence with that, or build a few hundred hospitals, etc, but if it saves one life, right?
Give me a break with this garbage that we are either choosing to save lives or make money. I have news for people. The only reason we live in a world where we have the LUXURY to spend crazy amounts of money on healthcare is because if our rich capitalist society and all the wealth it brings. Pretending there are not cost/benefit analyses to any of this is absurdly childish.
Have to agree with this. Seems like there is a crowd of elderly grumpy folks from that neighborhood that keep some of the businesses in this plaza around. Most of the places in there are really janky with the exception of the excellent Chinese restaurant.
Oh, that’s ok. Just a few people lost their livelihood. Keep cowering in your homes and be safe…But you do know you’re still going to get the virus when you touch those U PS and Amazon packages.
After 23 years would imagine there is a grasp of what a location is capable of and of costs involved. Could be with distancing requirements imposed as well as restrictions on number of patrons allowed making a location no longer economically viable.
Crippling businesses with mandatory shutdowns is one thing. Imposing customer limits and distancing requirements will be cause of more business failures. Customers will see lines or learn of long wait times causing them to cancel their plans.
JustMe is absolutely correct, “This is only the beginning.”
Reviewing pelosi’s house bill, requiring 75% of ‘forgivable loan’ amount to go for worker salaries could turn out to be unrealistic. Restaurants have fixed monthly costs, including rent, utilities and costs associated with food.
But have to realize pelosi has servants and staff taking care of daily events at her 3 houses, plus being worth between 30 – 40 million dollars, so can’t expect 80 year old pelosi’s bill to have realistic numbers for those running a small business.
I do food delivery part time and I see plenty of good mexican restaurants flourishing. The ones that decided not to do take out shall have to weather the storm or perish. Survival of the fittest (and best run). It’s like capitalism consumers will choose who is worthy of staying around. If you choose not to serve the customer good riddance.
Being forced to close or only do takeout is “survival of the fittest”? Adam Smith is rolling over in his grave. And I highly doubt any restaurant is “flourishing” right now. Some may survive but flourishing come on…
This is pure Capitalism in action. I have a favorite Mexican place in Pleasant Hill and on Cinco De Mayo specifically, there was at least no less than 30 people waiting for food, to order or pick up. It was so busy and minimal social distancing so I left. I go there oft rush times and still have to wait behind no less than 3-4 other customers ALL during the current lockdown, loyal customers ALL supporting their local small business!
There is a REASON they attract the crowd and following they have, great food, great service and reasonable pricing creating immense value and why out of DOZENS of Mexican or ANY type of food, I and MANY others are so loyal:
http://www.taquerialosgallosexpress.com/
#2
1974 Contra Costa Boulevard, Pleassnt Hill
#1
In Concord, IS not the same owner now and different pricing, as well as service. Good, but NOT the same value and service as #2 in PH.
“it is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.” – Charles Darwin
Remember when you are shopping the Chinese communist government did this. Find something made in another country.
Agreed. They knew their economy was going down and decided to take the rest of the world with them.
Please California, vote out these imbeciles that are running state and local government. One party rule is never a good idea. Diversity of thought is just as important as diversity of skin color. Probably even more so.
All for <1%
They are only closing Walnut Creek. That is not total bad news. Four others will stay open.
One would think a good restaurant across the street from such a crowded park would do well.
When I walk through HFP after weekends of crowds. There are empty bags from outside Walnut Creek food establishments and grocery stores.
Personally haven’t eaten at Ygnacio Plaza in a long time. Oh wait, I do get cakes from Sweet Affair.
Twenty three years is a good run.
Nearly all businesses struggle day to day. Now during the CV19 shutdown is a perfect time to shut them down for good and to consider if there’s a business model that would work. People will always have a dream.
In normal times roughly one in five small businesses fail within one year, a third fail within two years, half within five years and two thirds within ten years. A third of the business startups get to the ten year mark but even there many live month to month. The numbers seem worse for those that attempt to jump start a medium size or large business using venture capital.
As they tend to be more visible than the average business, restaurants particularly seem to be grouped into those that are consistently busy and those where I’m left wondering “How do they keep the doors open?” Chick-fil-A is an example of the first group. Their parking lot was always full and now in the takeout only era combined with high unemployment they have very long lines of cars and people waiting for their turn to get a chicken sandwich plus lemon-aid.
What are the odds that a business makes it to year 24 when they have been there for 23? I would say fairly high.
A lot of these local places relied on the nearby schools and sports activities -parents/students getting lunch and after-school snacks/dinner before or after practice. All that is missing. One of mine really liked their sushi burrito.
Well if it’s only the Walnut Creek location let’s shift the blame there and the high rents and no parking.
This place was a couple of miles east of downtown WC. There is plenty of parking. I believe the rents low compared to the malls just up the street at Ygnacio and Oak Grove and very low compared to downtown WC.
We too own a small “non-essential” business that has been closed since 3/17…we are very concerned whether or not we will be able to reopen as there is no money to buy what we will need and pay the high rent and utilities, let alone cover the first payroll….and the PPP loans don’t work for those businesses that are closed until further notice, which notice will be that we are the last of the last to get to reopen….so if we can’t reopen, then we can’t pay our mortgage….then we become homeless.
According to our shut-down betters here, you are just a selfish capitalist that values money over lives. Some of my fellow Americans really make me want to vomit.
I sincerely hope you can weather this storm.
Thank you idiot governor for ruining another place that people goes to eat at if they wanted a burrito.
You have made another company to closed for your personal reasons.
Thanks a lot for ruining another person life.
Of course the whiners here will blame the governor. They ALWAYS do. But here’s the facts: They could have remained as take out only like a lot of places. They could have required their landlord to forgive rents for a period of time, they could have worked with their bank for further assistance on loan restructuring and everything else they could have availed themselves. But they didnt . WHY? Because it was a loss trap! They were over extended and places like ALAMO were more lucrative. Alamo has the same Governor as Concord does, LOL
Or. The restaurant in Alamo has a clientele that had pensions or higher unemployment support before the lock down. Thereby they did not lose enough to shut down.
How much of this location’s clientele came from schools and the park? How much of the Alamo location’s come from schools?
I love how the state and counties mandating radical restrictions on businesses is no longer relevant because some can weather it. Good logic. By the same logic, the people dying of Covid deserve it for being older and weaker than the young ones who shrug it off.
I lived walking distance from the Alamo store for at least 5 years and recall eating there only 1, maybe 2 times. Never ate at the WC store. Both never appeared to me personally in food taste and value compared to my favorite place in PH I would rather drive 5 miles to get to than walk around the corner. No comparison for me between the 2 places and going to Taco Tu shortly at Los Gallos #2 shortly AGAIN!
Honestly I’m supprised they didn’t close before Covid19. The place was usually empty and I hadn’t eaten there since the early 2000’s. I’d welcome another local chain or local business.
Karma comes to those who refuse to adapt.
Ozzie, that’s an incorrect use of the word “Karma”.
no it’s not
Yes it is!
The buildings not in use, replace them with farmlands.
United States House of Representatives . . . .
It just might be that this was a good time to pull the plug on the business that has been cruising along on nearly empty for some time now.
The first few years they were open, they had created their own category of Mexican food. A health vibe was on the menu. In the early years we ate there often, but prices were a little high for what you got. The worst part was that the staff never recognized us a regular customers. We still ate there occasionally through the years, but it was ALWAYS cold and impersonal. Fewer customers as the years rolled on. I think they just plain ran it into the ground. I don’t expect anyone to notice when I order food at a chain like Chipotle that is serving 100 people per hour, but HTB was probably serving more like a dozen.
It’s kind of silly to blame this solely on the quarantine because no one ever really went here even in the Before-Times.
And yet they managed to stay open for 23 years until this.
Lol, so I actually used to work in the same shopping center, right across from this place. It was already hanging by a thread and barely had any customers compared to the restaurant I worked at, it was honestly sad to see. I wouldn’t be surprised if it would have closed in the next couple years even if COVID never happened. Maybe they had done well in the beginning and had some small regular crowd of baby boomers keeping it on life support, I honestly have no idea how it stayed in business (ate there once and the food was disgusting), but nah you definitely can’t hold this up as an example of how the lockdown is “DeSTrOYing LocAl BuSineSses”
From the comments here it sounds like this establishment had some problems for awhile. If they had other locations, and they did well perhaps they “carried” this location, that is not unheard of. I’m not up on everything related to Covid-19 and small businesses, it is possible they will receive some special tax benefits. Also the employee’s that lost their job will be able to collect unemployment under the Covid 19 rules. So it is possible when everything is considered this was a good time for them to close.
That shopping center is troubled because it has no anchor.
The grocery store left years ago, and the bank has converted to kiosks. People don’t say, “let’s grab some food while we are here” because there’s are few reason to be there.
On the positive side, it’s nice the parking lot is not full of drainage ditches like The Orchards.
I don’t think we can blame every business that is closing on the SIP. Some would have closed anyway, or be in financial trouble. Like J.C. Penny, don’t know what will happen to them, but they have been on the edge financial for a few years, it is possible the SIP might hurry up their demise. Even in good economic times businesses close, some because of poor management, or poor financial management, some just can’t keep up with the times. It is a very competitive environment, and some are bound to buckle under, no matter the economy.
I work next to this I knew people there and they had roaches and rats so….
“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
“To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
“The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy so that he cannot fathom our real intent.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
“Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.”
― Sun Tzu, The Art of War ….I’m just saying; COVID19 whatever was a bioweapon; those of you who read books and live history will know what im talking about. Q what does a sheep say?
“Q what does a sheep say?”
A sheep would bow and apologize.
justin has a point, how to deal with trade sanctions against china, how to influence 2020 elections. how to help a party traditionally reluctant to confront china in any meaningful way, how to negate economic gains of Trump Presidency, how to damage the economy of USA and make politicians afraid ?
Perhaps hearings into influence of china on American politics and it’s politicians.
Reread justin’s post.
The closure of Albertsons resulted in a domino affect that toppled some other marginal businesses in that shopping center. For example, I used to visit Diablo Books in that shopping center and recall the owner mentioning that she had depended on people stopping by weekly for groceries also visiting the book store. Sports Basement eventually opened up in the old Albertsons spot but that was not enough for Diablo Books which closed a shortly after that.
While most of them are gone, there are a number of stores that have survived from the Albertsons era to the present. They include A Sweet Affair Bakery, Peet’s Coffee, High Tech Burrito until this year, Chase Bank, and the Chevron gas station on the corner. The space that used to be a Gold’s Gym in the Albertsons era is now a Fitness 19. The Gold’s Gym failed shortly after Albertsons closed but Fitness 19 has been successful in the same location since at least 2007.
Do remember from business class at DVC in early ’70s was need for an anchor tenant in neighborhood and regional shopping centers.
A prime example is antioch, Buchanan Road Gentrytown Drive intersection area after major tenants pulled out years back. Broken windows covered in plywood with usual spray paint graffiti. Homeless tucked in creek areas and areas generally out of view of passing traffic.
Some still open businesses a laundromat, gold to cash, chain convenience store with height markings to judge the robbers height, a liquor store, to name a few.
Sad to watch decline of a city from what it was in late 70s early 80s.
Why y’all sad? You all are capitalists and this is what happens. Capitalism is the business equivalent of evolution. Adapt or die! Bye bye businesses! Hello capitalism! Just gonna be McDonald’s and Walmart from here on out!
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