Gilroy
– The latest restaurant venture slated for old City Hall is
moving along as scheduled, according to restaurateur Jim
Angelopoulos.
Gilroy – The latest restaurant venture slated for old City Hall is moving along as scheduled, according to restaurateur Jim Angelopoulos.
Earlier this month, City Council signed off on a lease transfer after reviewing Angelopoulos’ proposal to install a tropical-themed Mexican restaurant in the historic building, at the corner of Sixth and Monterey streets.
With the city’s approval, Angelopoulos will proceed with obtaining a liquor license for the new restaurant, which will be called “Chips N’ Salsa: Eat, Drink, and be Happy.”
The lease transfer ends several months in which the city received no lease payments from Glen Gurries, whose Old City Hall restaurant shut its doors before Christmas after a year in business.
It remains unclear if Gurries or Angelopoulos picked up the tab on several thousand dollars in past-due lease payments.
Angelopoulos would not specify, but he pointed out that “there couldn’t be a transfer of lease unless the payments are up to date.”
Gurries must still sign the paperwork on the lease transfer to finalize the deal, Angelopoulos said.
“It’s a waiting game until we jump through all the hoops,” he said. “I’m hoping that June is still the date I’ll open.”
While he waits for the legal issues to fall into place, Angelopoulos is purchasing the paraphernalia and props needed to deck out Chips N’Salsa.
His checklist includes a salsa bar made out of an old Volkswagen, and pretty much “everything from beach balls to kayaks.
“Anything that’s creative,” he said. “The wilder, the better.”
The new decor is a far cry from the upscale atmosphere of Gurries’ venture, which included entrees priced above $20 a plate.
“I think we’re really making a restaurant that pleases all,” Angelopoulos said. “The check average will be low. It’s going to be exciting. This is really authentic Mexican – even the tortillas are going to be home-made.”
Angelopoulos’ other restaurants have a successful track record. Scramble’z, which has a retro diner theme aimed at kids and families, opened in July 2004 and pulls in 4,000 customers a week. Prior to opening Scramble’z the Angelopoulos family operated the City Diner in San Jose for 25 years.
“I think Gilroy will look forward to (Chips N’Salsa),” he said. “It needs something to keep people downtown, instead of across the highway.”
