After 31 years in business in the East Austin neighborhood not far from where she grew up, restaurateur Rachel Davila has sold her property and is closing Nuevo Leon at the end of business Saturday, March 2.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling for me. My employees are like family and I’m going to miss all my customers, but I am ready to retire,” the 77-year-old businesswoman and grandmother told us yesterday. Mrs. Davila went on the explain that the sale of the property closed earlier this week and she decided to go ahead and close at the beginning of March so as not to incur taxes or utilities for the month. The last meal will be served at Nuevo Leon tonight and then she’ll have a few days to get personal possessions out of the building.
According to Mrs. Davila, the property was purchased by a local investment group who did not share their future development plans with her. It should be very interesting to see what the future brings for such a good-sized chunk of property in a fast-changing neighborhood.
This article appears in March 1 • 2013.