Photo Courtesy of the Dallas Observer

Cantina Laredo in the Preston Royal Shopping Center shut its doors on Dec. 20 after serving the community margaritas and Mexican fare for 21 years.

The neighborhood spot closed due to a year of troubles. After going through a remodel due to the 2019 tornado and reopening on Jan. 20, 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic shut the restaurant down again 50 days later. It eventually reopened for takeout and dine-in, however the restaurant could not come to an agreement with their landlord at the end of the year, according to Bill Watson, VP of Marketing for Consolidated Restaurant Operations.

The restaurant joins a plethora of restaurants in the United States that have had to shut down in the last year. According to the National Restaurant Association, 17% of restaurants in the United States have closed as of Dec. 2. This comes to about 110,000 eateries.

If neighbors still want to slurp down some Cantina Laredo tortilla soup, they can still satisfy their cravings around town. The restaurant has 21 other locations, including spots in DFW International Airport, Dallas Love Field Airport and Frisco, Texas.