After 7 months in operation, CANS, a promising concert venue and deli on North Fourth Avenue, is calling it quits at the end of the year.
A lengthy post from management on the Cans Facebook page Tuesday declared its last day open will be December 31.
βThis decision has not been an emotionally or financially easy one,β the post read. βOur experience running a venue has taught us many things, and we hope to have gained wisdom and spiritual growth throughout the process.βΒ
Opened by Tallboys owner Ben Schneider and several business partners, Cans seemed to show up at the right time.
The 6,000 square feet of space, previously occupied by the poutine restaurant U.S. Fries, came with a deli at the front of the house and a large concert venue in the back.
At the time, the venue looked like it might fill the void being left behind by the North Fourth Avenue venue Flycatcher. Comparable in size, Flycatcher closed in July to make room for Union on Sixth,Β a proposed student-housing high-rise.
And the deli offered another option for those lamenting the closure of Shlomo and Vitoβs, one of only a handful of traditional delis in the Tucson area, that closed in early 2017 after nine years in business.
βIβve always loved the Jewish deli idea,β said Schneider in an interview with the Star in March. βThe deli food I grew up on is another version of comfort food. I think making people feel comfortable is my main thing.β
But the traditional deli concept was short-lived.
Schneider and his partners started shifting direction of the menu to what Schneider described as βJewish drunk food,β things like corned beef nachos and matzo ball corn dogs, shortly after opening, according to an interview he gave to This is Tucson in June.
"We were trying to stick with a traditional Jewish menu, but it's kind of boring. And we're not really digging the outcome of it that much, and the response," Schneider said at the time.
Tuesdayβs Facebook post said that ultimately, the deli concept was poorly executed.
βWe quickly realized that what we were delivering was not what Fourth Ave. needed,β the post read
As a venue, Cans was active, hosting more than 200 concerts and events, featuring local and national touring acts, since May, according to its Facebook events page.
But the venue never had enough capital to compete with the likes of the Rialto or Club Congress, Tuesday's post read.
βWe still believe in the power of the local scene, but most shows were simply under supported,β it read.
Cans has 12 more events scheduled until their closure on Jan. 1.
Tucson restaurants that closed their doors in 2018:
19 Tucson restaurants that closed their doors in 2018
El Torero β 231 E. 26th Street
Updated
El Torero Mexican restaurant, at 231 E. 26th St., has been operating in South Tucson since 1957.
South Tucsonβs El Torero Restaurant temporarily closed after owner Brad Hultquist suffered a brain aneurysm, according to his brother and business partner Mike Hultquist.
Mike Hultquist on Friday said he expects to reopen the restaurant at 231 E. 26th St. in January.
Sir Veza's β 220 W. Wetmore Road
Updated
Owner Ray Flores was not specific, but said Sir Vezaβs had to close βin order to determine if there will be sufficient repairs and other remedies ... to fully correct the situation,β
Sir Vezaβs Kitchen & Kantina at the Tucson Mall closed eight weeks after owner Ray Flores finished a minor remodel of the restaurant and tweaked the concept from table service to fast-casual.
Flores, in a Facebook post, blamed the closure on βlong-termβ unresolved problems with the building he rents from the Tucson Mall at 220 W. Wetmore Road.
βWe must close our doors effective immediately in order to determine if there will be sufficient repairs and other remedies made available by Brookfield Properties, our Chicago, Illinois-based landlords, to fully correct the situation,β he said in the statement.
Cans Venue & Lounge β 340 N. Fourth Avenue
Updated
The Cans Deli space has a similar vibe to the previous concepts, but with a little fresh paint and a retro mural.Β
After seven months in operation, Cans, a promising concert venue and deli on North Fourth Avenue, is calling it quits at the end of the year.
A lengthy post from management on the Cans Facebook page last week declared its last day open will be Dec. 31.
βThis decision has not been an emotionally or financially easy one,β the post read. βOur experience running a venue has taught us many things, and we hope to have gained wisdom and spiritual growth throughout the process.β
Launched by Ben Schneider, owner of TallBoys at 600 N. Fourth Ave., and several business partners, Cans seemed to show up at the right time.
The space, previously occupied by the poutine restaurant U.S. Fries at 340 N. Fourth Ave., came with a deli at the front of the house and a bar and concert venue in the back.
Las Margaritas β 6011 N. Oracle Road
Updated
Las Margaritas owner Terry Morse, right, says higher wage, sick pay and rent costs, as well as new competition, led to the decision to close the restaurant after 38 years. With her is manager David Wetstein, who she jokes βcame with the building.β
Las Margaritas Mexican Restaurant on North Oracle Road closed on Nov. 25, ending a family legacy of 65 years in the restaurant business, born in a small, unassuming dining room in central Tucson.
βEverybody who walks in that door, the only thing they say is, βItβs so sad.β βI was engaged here.β βI had my wedding reception, my anniversary here,ββ Las Margaritas owner Terry Morse said Monday, recounting anecdotes from loyal customers once they learned that the 38-year-old restaurant will close. βItβs real sad. I donβt even want to work these next few weeks.β
Bird Bar & Chicken β 7109 N. Oracle Road
Updated
Bird Bar & Chicken recently changed its concept and menu, but it wasnβt enough to save the restaurant.
Bird Bar & Chicken β formerly Bird Modern Provisions & Bar in Casas Adobes Plaza, 7109 N. Oracle Road β served its last plate of shrimp and grits and spicy fried chicken on Sept. 14 before owner Brandon Katz and his partners decided to close for good.
βWe financially could not continue to support the bleeding. It was a decision made on the financials,β said Katz, whose Fukushu Restaurant Concepts also operates Goodness and downtownβs popular sushi and ramen restaurant Obon. βWe took a chance in an area of town that was lacking a certain demographic and food, and I think we accomplished what we set out to do, but we failed to message it.β
Fuddruckers β 6118 E. Speedway
Updated
Fuddruckers was once one of Tucson's most popular burger joints. It closed on Wednesday after struggling to competing in a now crowded Tucson burger market.Β Β
Tucson's loneΒ FuddruckersΒ restaurant closed in August, ending a 30-plus-year run here.
The restaurant atΒ 6118 E. SpeedwayΒ posted a sign on the door saying it was closing at 3 p.m. Aug. 8.Β Β
In the last few years, FuddruckersΒ started to lose its relevance in an overcrowded market. Employees said business had been in a steady decline leading up to the closing.
Zivaz Mexican Bistro β 4590 E. Broadway
Updated
Mayram Velazquez, a food runner at Zivaz Mexican Bistro, grabs two burrito dishes to bring to a table at the restaurant, 4590 E. Broadway Blvd., in Tucson, Ariz. Zivaz faces off against Ole Mexican Grill for Burrito Madness champion. Photo taken Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015. Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star
Following a dozen-year run, Zivaz Mexican Bistro on East Broadway closed its doors for good in mid-July.
The restaurant, recognized by fans in the Arizona Daily Starβs Burger and Burrito Madness competitions, proudly advertised the burger accolade on the side of the building at 4590 E. Broadway for years after the 2013 contest.
The summer slowdown combined with an increase in the stateβs minimum wage took a financial toll on the familyβs restaurant, co-ownerΒ Cecilia Valenzuela said.Β
Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar β 150 W. Wetmore Road
Updated
Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar at Tucson Mall is calling it quits at the end of business Saturday, May 19, after 13 months.
In mid-May, just days over 13 months since opening at Tucson Mall,Β Twigs Bistro and Martini BarΒ closed its doors.Β
The restaurant at 150 W. Wetmore Road will close at the end of business Saturday, May 19, according to a Facebook posting Wednesday morning.
Twigs, specializing in regional American fare from pastas and pizza to osso bucco and crab mac and cheese, was the Spokane, Washington-based chain's most ambitious undertaking. In its 16-year history, the farthest it had ventured was opening an outpost in Salt Lake City.Β
Stray Dogs β 78 W. River Road
Updated
Stray Dogs' milkshakes.
Months after initiating talks to sell their building at 78 W. River Road, the owners of Stray Dogs announced that they were closing in mid-January.
βItβs definitely bittersweet,β said Tom Firth, the managing partner of Hacienda del Sol and a co-owner of Zona 78 on East Tanque Verde Road. βThe business has been great. Itβs just a lifestyle decision.β
The restaurant was known for their burgers andΒ signature decadent milkshakes.Β
The building that housed restaurant is slated to become medical marijuana dispensary (and let the jokes commence...)Β
Rita Ranch Mama Louisa's β 7545 S. Houghton Rd.
Updated
Mama Louisaβs in Rita Ranch closed last weekend after nearly four years in business.
Mama Louisaβs on Houghton, the shirttail cousin of the original Mama Louisaβs Italian Restaurant thatβs lived on South Craycroft Road since 1956, closed in mid-April.
The move was announced on the restaurantβs Facebook page; no reason was given why the restaurant was shuttered after nearly four years in Rita Ranch.
However, fans don't need to sweat it too much: The original location on Craycroft Road is still open.
Pionic β 2643 N. Campbell Ave
Updated
Pionic Pizza, which opened in 2014, closed Tuesday with an event involving family, employees and longtime customers.
Pionic Pizza, the only locally owned, fast-casual pizzeria in Tucson among a handful of chains, closed on Aug. 29, the casualty not so much of economics as family priorities.
βWe did everything we could, but (business) did slow down quite a bit. In order for us to revive it would have taken a lot of money and effort, and for me family came first,β said owner Joyce Sinclair, who said she was torn between devoting endless hours running the business with her son Scott and caring for her ill mother.
Opa Greek Cuisine & Fun β 2990 N. Campbell Ave.
Updated
After more than 10 years of serving authentic Greek fare to Tucson, Opa Greek Cuisine & Fun on Campbell Avenue has called it quits.
A sign on the restaurant's door quietly announced the closing, which happened in early April.Β Β
Meanwhile, the Opa spinoff Opa Time Gyros and Salads at American Eat. Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave., is booming. The restaurant, which is not affiliated with the original location at 2990 N. Campbell Ave., is proving to be one of the most popular of the six restaurants in the south side indoor food court.
Nimbus Brewery β 3850 E. 44th St.
Updated
Nimbus Brewing Co., at 3850 E. 44th St., closed in May partly due to owner James Countsβ divorce proceedings.
Nimbus Brewery, one of Tucsonβs oldest and longest-running breweries, closed in early May after a court-ordered receiver determined the business was saddled with crippling debt that made it impossible to continue operating.
Christopher G. Linscott said he changed the locks on the business at 3850 E. 44th St. hours before it was to open at 11 a.m. May 4. Nimbusβ final day was May 3.
βI shut it down because we did not have money to operate,β Linscott said Monday after a hearing before Superior Court Judge Greg Sakall in the ongoing legal battle between owner James Counts and his former wife, Patricia Counts.
Mayβs Counter Chicken & Waffles β 2945 E. Speedway
Updated
May's Counter, 2945 E. Speedway, Tuesday, August 7, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
Mayβs Counter Chicken & Waffles, a popular dining destination for University of Arizona athletes and students and one of the only Tucson restaurants fully devoted to the Southern specialty, closed at the end of business on Aug. 7 owners decided not to renew their lease.
Tucson restaurant designer John Foster conceived the idea of Mayβs Counter in 2010, inspired by chicken and waffle restaurants popular in the South. He brought in Phoenix chef Aaron May β who is not the restaurantβs namesake β to help craft the menu; the Fields, who owned the lease, were also partners in the venture.
Luke's on Grant β 4444 E. Grant Rd.
Updated
Lukeβs On Grant will serve its last Italian beef sandwiches loaded with peppers and onions on Saturday. The restaurant will close at the end of business June 23 after losing its lease.
After more than 20 years at East Grant Road near North Swan Road, Lukeβs on Grant sandwich shop is closing on Saturday, June 23, the victim of a lost lease.
Jennifer Tilton, whose family has owned the restaurant the last 5Β½ years, said they are looking for a new location. Tilton is the granddaughter of Lukeβs founder Luke Del Principe, who still runs Lukeβs Italian Beef atΒ 1615 S. Alvernon Way.
Kneaders β 3570 N. Craycroft Rd.
Updated
Artisanal breads -- Credit: Courtesy Kneaders
The Utah-based franchisee of Tucson's threeΒ Kneaders Bakery & CafeΒ restaurants shut down the North Craycroft Road restaurant at the end of May, one of three in Arizona that were closed after not meeting earnings goals, company officials said.
The restaurant atΒ 3570 N. CraycroftΒ Rd., at East River Road, had been in business less than two years.Β
Classic Spaghetti Western Steakhouse β 1535 N. Stone Ave.
Updated
Classic Spaghetti Western Steakhouse is closing at the end of July, 10 months after opening at 1535 N. Stone Ave.
With little fanfare, the owner of Classic Spaghetti Western Steakhouse north of downtown is closing the restaurant on July 28.
In aΒ Facebook posting, owner Kade Mislinski gave no reason for the closure.
Alejandro's Cafe β 31 N. Scott Ave
Updated
Alejandro's Cafe, located atΒ 31 N. Scott Ave., closed its doors in the spring.Β Β
Abuela's Cocina Mexicana β 60 N. Alvernon Way
Updated
βThe concept, people just didnβt come,β said management partner John Aldecoa.
Abuela's could be on both the open and the closing list in 2018.Β
The Mexican restaurant in the former home of Old Pueblo Grille closed in March just 10 weeks after opening.Β
The restaurant at 60 N. Alvernon Way had apparently been losing about $1,000 per day, according to one of the partners involved.
βThe concept, people just didnβt come,β John Aldecoa, who was a management partner in the project, said a day after the landlords locked them out. βI guess thereβs just a lot of Mexican restaurants here.β
