Mexican restaurant in downtown Olympia has closed after 24 years
Peppers, a longtime Mexican restaurant in downtown Olympia on Cherry Street, has closed. Its last day in business was Tuesday.
Owner Ron Van Sickel said Sunday that a combination of things led to the decision to close the business:
- A recent sale of the business had fallen through.
- The cost of doing business had increased with the higher state minimum wage.
- Sales had been dropping since 2016.
He also acknowledged that although he considers himself a compassionate person and someone who has empathy for people who are homeless, business may have suffered because homeless people would gather in the alley next to the restaurant. In fact, that compassion may have contributed to the problem: Peppers would sometimes give food to people in need.
He said he walked through the alley prior to the business closing and didn’t feel safe. “If I didn’t feel completely safe, what do my customers feel like?” he asked The Olympian.
Van Sickel and his wife, Jamie, operated Peppers downtown for 24 years, and at the Cherry Street address for 13 years. Their earlier locations was in about 500 square feet on Legion Way near the Fish Tale brewpub.
“Olympia and the restaurant couldn’t have been better to us,” he said on Sunday, adding that there’s a chance the restaurant will reopen in west Olympia, but he offered no specifics.
Van Sickel praised his landlord for being flexible with rent. He also praised his employees — “we had amazing people” — and those who expressed support for the business on social media.
“We’re out of money,” he said. “We have no more to give.”
This story was originally published February 23, 2020 at 10:59 AM.
