Maize Mexican Grill thanking community for memories after original building was demolished

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A fan favorite around the Champaign-Urbana community, the original location of Maize Mexican Grill and has been torn down.

Owner Armando Sandoval said the building had to be torn down due to the lease not being renewed by the land owners, the University Group.

“I actually got the lease in June of 2011, so it’s kind of funny that now, almost the end of July, 13 years later, they’re tearing it down,” Sandoval said. “So I knew since the beginning they were gonna tear it down. And I think that’s one of the reasons that it sort of forced me to grow. That’s the reason that we got that Maize at the train station. And then lately, that’s the reason we got Maize at the Union, just because we knew that we were going to lose the location.”

They do have two other locations, one on Chestnut Street “Maize at the Station” and one on U of I’s campus, “Maize at the Union.”

The business wants to thank the community for all of the memories at the building.

As for the future of the space, the University Group confirmed with WCIA that a five-story building is on its way, which will include a retail store on the first floor.

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