Surging Rent Forces Burger Restaurant to Close After 13 Years, Move Across the Valley

Grab beers, fries, and a drink at the new location.Photo byEdward FranklinonUnsplash

There’s no shortage of reasons why a restaurant — even a popular one — closes. On occasion, the restaurant owner has some say in the matter. They might not like it, but there are, at times, ways to meditate or course-correct situations that lead to floundering establishments. And yet, at other times, it is completely taken out of their hands. Most specifically, rent. Landlords around greater Phoenix are surging rental costs, even after tenants have paid promptly month after month, year after year. One local burger restaurant faced the possibility of closing due to rent issues, but instead has pivoted and will move across the Valley in order to keep its doors open, visitors happy, and workers employed. 

If you’re a lover of burgers – both unique and classical – chances are you’ve stopped by Paradise Valley Burger a few times in the past. The local burger brand has been slinging traditional burgers and interesting concepts since 2011. In years since launching in Phoenix, a second location opened in Tempe to better service its customers. 

However, issues started to arise with the looming end of a signed lease. The Phoenix location landlord was not interested in maintaining the current lease, and the changes they demanded to the price simply were not feasible. In a time when restaurants are already on thin margins and it’s impossible to forecast future food prices (the cost of eggs fluctuates by the day), seeing a suddenly massive increase in rent on top of the other bills simply wasn’t an option. So, when the current landlord refused to negotiate, Paradise Valley Burger decided to take its patties and head elsewhere. It was either that or entirely close up shop. After 13 years of paying on time, the only thing that mattered to the landlord was an increase in rent.

Instead of succumbing to outlandish demands, Paradise Valley Burger will move from its Phoenix location to 15689 North Hayden Road in Scottsdale. While this will leave some local Phoenix customers hung out to dry, the local burger restaurant simply had no other options. In an attempt to continue running, feeding customers, and keeping all workers employed, the move was necessary. 

The original Phoenix location will remain open until October 24. The new Scottsdale location will open the following day, so customers won’t have to miss out and there won’t be an extended shutdown. The new location is an updated building, so the owners are hoping tenants will take to the new space quickly.