On the heels of announcing its Anaheim closure on Aug. 23, Pour Vida Tortillas and Taps shuttered its Fullerton location one day later on Thursday, Aug. 24. A sign posted on the door of the Harbor Blvd. spot says it’s temporarily closed because of a staffing shortage. The Yelp page for the Fullerton location notes it’s “temporarily closed” through Dec. 31.
This brings all of the taco concept’s locations to a close — at least for now.
According to co-owner Christina Martinez, the Fullerton employees quit en masse after hearing word that the shop might close, among other issues. Both Jimmy and Chrissie Martinez, the husband-and-wife team who own and operate Pour Vida, say that they could no longer afford to keep the Fullerton location, which reportedly costs around $25,000 each month to lease, with no employees to help operate it.
“For 10 years, I put my employees first before everyone,” says Jimmy. “People think we’re not human because we own a restaurant, but that’s just not true.”
Christina and Jimmy say they are currently seeking an investor who could help them operate the business. Jimmy goes on to explain that, in the past, the company has taken out microloans in an effort to pay employees and vendors.
An email sent to the Orange County Register, signed by “Fullerton and Anaheim staff of Pour Vida Tortillas and Taps,” alleges instances of paychecks being rejected for insufficient funds, with staff still waiting to be paid.
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Pour Vida Tortillas and Taps announces Anaheim closure
“We’ve always paid them their tip money and paid them on time, but we just don’t have the funds until we figure out the next step,” Jimmy Martinez said. The Martinez family hopes to reopen its Fullerton and Anaheim locations at some point later this year. Christina adds, “Our main goal is to pay employees.”
Pour Vida Tortillas and Taps opened its first spot, located in Anaheim, in 2015. Success of the unique taco concept, which featured fare like pineapple skirt steak taco and an In-N-Out burger-inspired taco, prompted the family to move to a larger space in Anaheim and open two more locations, in Fullerton and Newport Beach.