The sprawling Macayo's building on Oracle Road had been on and off the market for years, but this time Emma Vera was ready. When the aging property at 7360 N. Oracle Road went on sale this year, she jumped at the chance to open a second location for her flagship restaurant Guadalajara Original Grill.
She'll call this location Guadalajara Original Grill North. (This is to differentiate her business at 1220 E. Prince Road from those of her ex-husband Seth Holzman, who owns the Guadalajara Mexican Grill at 4901 E. Broadway and Guadalajara Fiesta Grill at 750 N. Kolb Road.)
Vera plans to spend several months cleaning up the space, and will hopefully open by the first of November.
"It's a really pretty building, it's just been awhile since they've touched it up," she said. "We're going to reconstruct the inside, bring the walls down, ... redo the bar. It's gonna have a really nice new feeling."
Macayo's, which is part of a Phoenix chain of restaurants with one other Tucson location, had been in that building since the early '80s, Vera said. It closed last month. At 8,000 square feet, the building is substantially bigger than even her Guadalajara Original Grill. But Vera doesn't seem to be nervous.
"I am so excited to be on Oracle, and being at an intersection that's busy. ... Just being there, it advertises itself."
It will be her third restaurant, in addition to the casual taqueria Calle Tepa at 6151 E. Broadway. In the future, Vera is also thinking of opening another Calle Tepa, possibly in Oro Valley.
Guadalajara Original Grill North will sport the same food and drink menu as her original, with tableside salsa and a sizable margarita list. There will be a hiring fair about six weeks before the opening. Vera plans to hire about 55 people.
For opening news and general info, follow the restaurant on Facebook at facebook.com/GuadalajaraOriginalGrill
