K-Bob's Steakhouse closes suddenly

K-Bob's Steakhouse, a fixture restaurant along First Street and Interstate 40 for years in Tucumcari, abruptly closed Feb. 26, leading to the loss of about 20 jobs.

Evangeline Baca, a cook at the restaurant at 200 E. Estrella Ave. for the last 13 months, said there was no inkling of the closure until that morning.

"I came to work yesterday at 9 o'clock," she said Wednesday. "They had a meeting, saying they would shut us down. It wasn't paying off to keep it open."

Baca said the Houston-based company, which owns 11 other restaurants in Texas, New Mexico and Colorado, paid her $15 an hour to help pack up equipment at the Tucumcari site.

K-Bob's corporate employees also were seen the day of the closing placing restaurant equipment into a U-Haul truck.

Baca said K-Bob's brought in accountants so the approximately 20 employees will get their final paychecks mailed this week.

In the meantime, Baca said "I'm just not sure" what she'll do for employment.

"I was thankful for the opportunity to be here because it was a good job," she said.

Less than two days after the closing, most of the restaurant had been emptied, including the overhead big sign meant to entice drivers on I-40.

Edward Tinsley, co-owner of K-Bob's, acknowledged Wednesday the closing had been planned "relatively recently."

"Ultimately, we couldn't run a profitable restaurant here," he said while seated in a nearly deserted bar area of the restaurant. "It creates a lot of heartburn if you have to close a restaurant. You obviously have to worry about the employees and the community. We did the best we could have.

"I always enjoyed coming to this store," he added. "I'm from New Mexico, born and raised here, so it was nice to be a business owner in New Mexico. We're sad to be leaving."

It wasn't the first time K-Bob's in Tucumcari had closed. Tinsley said the restaurant shuttered for about six months in 2012 for remodeling.

The next-closest K-Bob's restaurants operate in Clovis and Las Vegas, New Mexico.

K-Bob's leased its building at Estrella Avenue. According to records at the Quay County Assessor's Office, Store Master Funding IV LLC of Houston owns the building.

Tinsley said he didn't know what would happen to the site.

"I'm sure they will put it up for sale or lease," he said.

Todd Duplantis, a District 5 city commissioner and the owner of two restaurants in town, said he doesn't think the building will sit empty for long.

"I feel confident someone's going to pick up that place," he said. "There still are good things that are happening in Tucumcari."