The owner of a longtime Mexican restaurant in East San Jose says construction of the VTA light rail extension from Eastridge to BART has killed his business.
La Grullensa Restaurant at CrossRoads Shopping Center on South Capitol Avenue has been serving up meals for more than 35 years, but owner Fernando Galindo is set to shut down his business this weekend. He said the VTA project drove his customers away.
“It didn’t work out,” Galindo said. “Trust me, I tried. I tried. I pushed. I did everything I could to try to make this work, but in the end it was just too overwhelming.”
Galindo said his restaurant survived the economic effects of the post 9/11 wars, the great recession, and COVID-19, but two years of pounding across the street, detours and road closures did him in.
“VTA failed us,” he said. “Not just me, everyone here in this community and this shopping center, too.”
The landlord of the shopping center said he lost three tenants to the construction.
Other merchants who said they’re next are hoping for another lifeline. VTA issued grants to several of those businesses last month to make up some of the losses.
Galindo said it was a drop in the bucket compared to what he’s lost.
VTA said it has issued more than $265,000 so far in microgrants to affected businesses, adding that more is on the way. The agency would not address the La Grullensa case on camera, but in a statement said, “We are saddened to see a longtime member of our business community close his doors. VTA recognizes the challenges of nearby light rail construction and made significant efforts to provide support, including financial assistance, advertising, community outreach, and ongoing measures to minimize disruption wherever possible.”