On The Border

Just thought everyone would like to know that On The Border in Springhurst will be closing it's doors for good Feb 22nd. I was never a fan of the place, and even if it is a chain, I still hate to see people losing their jobs. Also, I never saw mention of it in here, but did the Max N Erma's chain recently close up? I noticed the one on Hurstbourne and the one out at The Summit are gone...

Max & Erma's went bankrupt and I don't know if it a reorganization or liquidation for them. On The Border was founded in Dallas in the early 80's and I had a slew of friends who worked there when they were attending SMU at the same time. The mothership was great but the one here was bland. Hate to see anyone out of work.

People can point to the economy as a reason. And, that's fine. Yes, it's a valid point business have been hurting because of it. But, when you look at certain types of food, Mexican is a restaurant Louisville is not short. We've grown from having a couple Chi-Chi's to an equal number of restaurants (cheap - not cheap) proportionate to Starbucks in Louisville. When you're blanketed by these many choices , it'll start to wear thin on the bottom line.

I coincidentilly ate at On the Border last night (big fan of the loaded queso) and the server told me the news. He said that all they were told was that they had been sold. What a pity.
My first instinct was to rescue this poor soul by offering him a job, but, alas, I'm afraid that my low end restaurant may not make him the kind of money that he is used to.

We've grown from having a couple Chi-Chi's to an equal number of restaurants (cheap - not cheap) proportionate to Starbucks in Louisville.

Actually, we've grown from Por Que No, even before Chi-Chi's. It was located where Jack Fry's is now.

all they were told was that they had been sold.

That could be a good thing depending on who bought them! I wonder if just that restaurant was sold or if the whole chain was?

Actually, we've grown from Por Que No, even before Chi-Chi's. It was located where Jack Fry's is now

I grew up with Chi-Chi's. Por Que No does not even ring a bell. When were they around in Louisville?

Chicos is the first place I ever ate Mexican food. In Hikes Point where the Frisch's used to be - then came Chi Chi's.

[Robin Garr]

Actually, we've grown from Por Que No, even before Chi-Chi's. It was located where Jack Fry's is now.

The Chile Bowl on West Broadway went back to WWII, and the Old Walnut Chile Parlor - in various locations, mostly not on Walnut - went back to the 1800s. Of course, they were "Mexican" only by the longest possible stretch of the imagination. I think Tumbleweed and the original Chico's in Hikes Point may have been around before Por Que No's brief existence, too... early '70s, I'm pretty sure.

Actually, we've grown from Por Que No, even before Chi-Chi's. It was located where Jack Fry's is now.

The Chile Bowl on West Broadway went back to WWII, and the Old Walnut Chile Parlor - in various locations, mostly not on Walnut - went back to the 1800s. Of course, they were "Mexican" only by the longest possible stretch of the imagination. I think Tumbleweed and the original Chico's in Hikes Point may have been around before Por Que No's brief existence, too... early '70s, I'm pretty sure.

I remember Por Que No from the mid-70s and I did not know Chicos until '80 or so, when Bob Coleman owned it. I'm not saying it wasn't there - only that I didn't know about it. Was it owned by someone before Coleman? Tumbleweed, maybe mid-70s too, Seems like maybe there was a C-J article (Sat. Scene, by Richard Desriseux maybe? sorry about the spelling) about Mexican food being introduced at the Weed in New Albany around '75 or so. They're all one big burrito. jumbled up in my rapidly fading memory.

Actually, we've grown from Por Que No, even before Chi-Chi's. It was located where Jack Fry's is now.

The Chile Bowl on West Broadway went back to WWII, and the Old Walnut Chile Parlor - in various locations, mostly not on Walnut - went back to the 1800s. Of course, they were "Mexican" only by the longest possible stretch of the imagination. I think Tumbleweed and the original Chico's in Hikes Point may have been around before Por Que No's brief existence, too... early '70s, I'm pretty sure.

I remember Por Que No from the mid-70s and I did not know Chicos until '80 or so, when Bob Coleman owned it. I'm not saying it wasn't there - only that I didn't know about it. Was it owned by someone before Coleman? Tumbleweed, maybe mid-70s too, Seems like maybe there was a C-J article (Sat. Scene, by Richard Desriseux maybe? sorry about the spelling) about Mexican food being introduced at the Weed in New Albany around '75 or so. They're all one big burrito. jumbled up in my rapidly fading memory.

Your memory serves you well Jeffery. Those timelines are about right. Maybe late 60s for Por Que No . It was on Bardstown Rd at what is now Jack Frys. We used to walk over there at least once a week from our apt on Cherokee Rd (and usually stumble home.) Seems there was another place downtown maybe called The Chili Bowl as well but that was IT until Tumbleweed opened their location in So. Indiana around the middle 70s and then opened their location on Mellwood soon after that.

Jeez I'm an idiot. I just repeated everything that was already said.
(Heavy sigh)
I should really finish at least one cup of coffee in the AM before I attempt to post.
Sorry guys.

[Robin Garr]

Okay, I know we're all geezers comparing ancient memories here but Carla, I didn't come back to Louisville from LA until 1971, and Por Que No opened some time after that. I don't know about Bob Coleman, but the original Chico's was owned by a Latino guy from New Mexico, and he had some authentic dishes that were amazingly early for Louisville - Carne asada, chile verde, stuff like that. It opened pretty soon after I moved back to Louisville. Maybe he was way ahead of his time, because around 1980 the menu got dumbed way down. Maybe the Latino guy sold out, Bob Coleman took over, and the menu changed? I'm pretty sure that Des Ruisseaux wrote about the original Tumbleweed in New Albany in the early '70s, and the Mellwood operation opened in the middle '70s.

I remember Por Que No from the mid-70s and I did not know Chicos until '80 or so, when Bob Coleman owned it. I'm not saying it wasn't there - only that I didn't know about it. Was it owned by someone before Coleman? Tumbleweed, maybe mid-70s too, Seems like maybe there was a C-J article (Sat. Scene, by Richard Desriseux maybe? sorry about the spelling) about Mexican food being introduced at the Weed in New Albany around '75 or so. They're all one big burrito. jumbled up in my rapidly fading memory.

Your memory serves you well Jeffery. Those timelines are about right. Maybe late 60s for Por Que No . It was on Bardstown Rd at what is now Jack Frys. We used to walk over there at least once a week from our apt on Cherokee Rd (and usually stumble home.) Seems there was another place downtown maybe called The Chili Bowl as well but that was IT until Tumbleweed opened their location in So. Indiana around the middle 70s and then opened their location on Mellwood soon after that.[/quote]

from what i heard, the landlord/developer bought the building.(and other buildings) as of now no mention what is to go in their place.

We went by there the other day and evidently either there were not any plans to begin with or they fell through. There's now a big "for lease" sign on the building. Also no other buildings around there are vacant so maybe the original rumor was just wishful thinking.