HOUSTON – The Washington Avenue Corridor is used to business and used to change. But the closure of four once-popular restaurants in just a matter of weeks is catching customers by surprise.
"In such a close area it is not the usual," said Houston resident Troy Saintcleair.
The Southwestern restaurant and agave bar TQLA on the 4600 block of Washington near Fowler is the latest to close its doors, shutting just Wednesday.
Polovina Italian Cafe across the street is shut down with a lockout notice on the door after the owner apparently failed to pay rent.
And several blocks west, Coppa Italian Ristorante also closed a few weeks ago. Customers can also see the bad news when they go to the establishment's website, where the owners thank them for their support.
"For us, we go out and eat every day," said Houston resident Andrew Le. "So it's big that we lose a restaurant every now and then."
Some customers are not only surprised by the closings, but in some cases they're even saddened.
"When people come to Houston you go out and eat," said Le. "So if you're missing a restaurant it kind of takes out for the community."
In addition to customers losing a place to eat, dozens of workers have lost jobs because of the closures. Local 2 spoke to some who said they were informed with very little notice.
"It's a little sad to see," said Houston native Michael Shiraz. "I've been here my whole life so, I've lived in the area as well. So I've definitely walked up and down these streets and seen restaurants."
One of the partners of TQLA told the Houston Chronicle they closed because of higher food costs and slower foot traffic on Washington Avenue. The owner of El Tiempo Cantina on Montrose Street reportedly said the restaurant is being forced to relocate because the landlord wants to sell to a developer who wants to put apartment buildings on the lot.