Local Restaurant Forced Closed By Property Owner

Local restaurant owners were locked out of their restaurant.Photo byKaffeebartonUnsplash

Sometimes restaurant closures are a surprise to locals and long-time patrons. One moment the eatery is flourishing, the next it’s locking its doors. At times a reason is given, other times there’s not even a peep as the owners vanish. And yet, there are times a restaurant closure comes as a surprise to the owners themselves. Restaurant operators that don’t own the property are always under the thumb of the real estate owners, who can pivot on a dime and, in many ways, squash the restaurant whenever it seems fit. That sudden, forced closure is exactly what happened at a local restaurant in Mesa. 

Over the weekend, Handlebar Diner announced on its Facebook page that Eastmark, the property manager, decided to close the restaurant, “effective immediately.” Owners Chasie and Kevin continued in the statement that the sudden closure was “quite the surprise.” 

Eastmark is a planned community situated on 3,200 acres in the heart of Mesa. It more or less picks and chooses what restaurants operate within its grounds, as well as what shops can sell to residents. In an attempt to craft a utopia for residents, it very much comes across as a bit of a dictatorship with how certain restaurants are overseen, as is the case with Handlebar Diner. 

Eastmark did respond to the restaurant’s Facebook post, releasing its own spin on the situation. Eastmark’s update said they decided to “temporarily close the Handlebar Diner, effective Friday, July 12th.”

Eastmark went on to throw its weight around, pointing to the fact that it was, in fact, the owner of the property, and as such, it was in charge of ensuring its “vision” to provide a chef-run, farm-to-table eatery was fun and memorable. 

One could argue every restaurant is farm-to-table (after all, where else does the food come from?). Regardless, Eastmark reiterated the idea that the closure was temporary and that a new and improved experience would come about this upcoming autumn. 

The website post used a great deal of PR speak while saying very little. Nothing about why the restaurant was forced to close or why the owners of the restaurant were given little to no warning as to the closure. 

Unfortunately, if you were a fan of Handlebar Diner at 5149 South Inspiration Parkway in Mesa, the restaurant is now no more, and should it return in the fall, it will not be under the same staff or ownership.