Maya’s Modern Mediterranean Closure
When Russell Birk opened Maya’s Modern Mediterranean in East Dallas in 2017, it was his first restaurant venture. His small business defied the odds and survived its first year. Then, it defied the odds again and survived the COVID-19 pandemic.
After seven and a half years, though, Maya’s Modern Mediterranean has met its match in this economy, Birk said. Due to an unrelenting nosedive in sales, his restaurant will close Dec. 23.
The closure of Maya’s Modern Mediterranean in Casa Linda Plaza comes two months after the closure of Be Home Soon in the same shopping center. That restaurant also shuttered due to declining sales.
Reasons Behind the Closure
“As a small business owner with a family and obligations, I just can’t make it work,” Birk said. “My sense is it’s more the economy than it is anything else. All the sudden over the last year, it’s just been a steady decline and nothing I’ve done has worked. I keep waiting for sales to return to normal but they just aren’t.”
Independent restaurants like his are vulnerable, he said. With minuscule margins, they are sitting ducks in challenging economic environments.
Russel Birk, owner of Maya’s Modern Mediterranean, and his family.
Russel Birk
Impact on the Community
“We can handle a downturn, but we can’t handle a downturn that lasts this long,” Birk said, “or at least I can’t. I won’t speak for everyone else. High-end restaurants are still doing really well but a lot of restaurants like mine are struggling.”
The closure is especially tough, he said, because the restaurant, which is down the street from where he lives, has been a family effort. It is named after his daughter, and all of his kids have helped out behind the scenes and behind the cash register over the years.
Wider Implications
The drop in restaurant sales has been widespread across Texas over the past year, according to data from the Texas Restaurant Association, which recently sounded the alarm on the viability of the state’s restaurants.
“It’s a perfect storm honestly,” the association’s president and CEO Emily Williams Knight told The Dallas Morning News last month. “You have a fatigued consumer and a fatigued restaurant owner.”
Future Plans
Birk, who left a finance career to get into the restaurant business, opened a second Maya’s location nine months ago in Dallas’ Hillcrest Village. That restaurant’s sales are increasing and it will remain open, he said.
He attributes part of the success at that location to a smaller footprint than the one in Casa Linda, which has 125 seats.
“That’s a lot of seats for a fast-casual restaurant and it never filled up,” he said.
Advice for New Restaurant Owners
To anyone in the process of opening a restaurant in this economy, Birk’s advice is this: “Whatever you think you need, double it. People just don’t build up enough working capital to stay open. Both of my restaurants opened under-capitalized and that’s hard to survive in that first year.”
The Casa Linda location of Maya’s will offer specials like 50% off beer and wine as it prepares to permanently close, Birk said. It will also have Booker T. Washington jazz students perform on the patio on Dec. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Maya’s Modern Mediterranean will close Dec. 23 at 9540 Garland Road, Ste. C362, Dallas. The location at Hillcrest Village will remain open. mayasmediterranean.com.
Conclusion
The closure of Maya’s Modern Mediterranean is a sad reminder of the challenges faced by small businesses, especially in the restaurant industry. The decline in sales and the inability to recover have forced the restaurant to close its doors, leaving a void in the community. However, the Hillcrest Village location will remain open, and the owner’s advice to new restaurant owners serves as a reminder of the importance of careful planning and sufficient capital.
FAQs
Q: Why is Maya’s Modern Mediterranean closing?
A: The restaurant is closing due to a decline in sales and the inability to recover from the economic downturn.
Q: What will happen to the Hillcrest Village location?
A: The Hillcrest Village location will remain open, as its sales are increasing.
Q: What advice does the owner have for new restaurant owners?
A: The owner advises new restaurant owners to double their estimated needs and to build up sufficient working capital to stay open, especially in the first year.
Q: What specials will be offered at the Casa Linda location before it closes?
A: The Casa Linda location will offer specials like 50% off beer and wine, and will have Booker T. Washington jazz students perform on the patio on Dec. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m.
