sa国际传媒官网网页入口

sa国际传媒官网网页入口 resident Tom Jaramillo has been eating at Loyola鈥檚 on Central Avenue for years.

He鈥檚 developed just one complaint: He wishes he could have it more often.

鈥淭hey need to stay open more,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his restaurant is probably (in) the top 10 in sa国际传媒官网网页入口.鈥�

The classic diner, at 4500 Central SE, is also a frequent stop for regular William Kaiser.

鈥淪everal times a week 鈥� sometimes four days a week,鈥� Kaiser said.

鈥淗e鈥檚 been coming in a long time,鈥� said Sarah Cordova, the longtime owner of Loyola鈥檚, as she patrolled the restaurant Tuesday.

鈥淣ot as long as you,鈥� Kaiser said, prompting laughs from the two.

Cordova started the restaurant with her late mother, Loyola Baca, 36 years ago. Baca, who died in 2009, had run the business on Central Avenue for even longer, first launching it as a coffee shop at the De Anza Motor Lodge 43 years ago and expanding to the diner it is today in 1990.

But after decades cooking up New Mexican and American cuisine 鈥� including everything from a grilled cheese sandwich to huevos rancheros 鈥� and serving as a film site for hits like 鈥淏reaking Bad鈥� and 鈥淏etter Call Saul,鈥� the restaurant property is up for sale.

Cordova, with the help of Alfredo Barrenechea of Absolute Investment Realty, listed the property for a little over $1 million in February, according to the Commercial Association of Realtors New Mexico website. No offers have yet been made.

Asked why she decided to list the property, Cordova said it was the reelection of sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Mayor Tim Keller.

鈥淒uring the election, if Mayor Keller was going to win again, I told myself that I would sell because I knew 鈥� and I know 鈥� that he鈥檚 not going to change anything on Central,鈥� Cordova said, referring to the large population of homeless people who frequent the area.

In a statement, a city spokesperson said Keller 鈥渦nderstands the concerns raised by business owners and residents along Central and remains committed to improving safety, quality of life and economic vitality along the corridor.鈥�

But Cordova, who is nearing retirement age, said the city鈥檚 efforts haven鈥檛 been enough. She said being assaulted by a homeless person while walking one of her customers to PAH! Hiland Plaza 鈥� an apartment complex for the deaf and blind about a minute away from the restaurant 鈥� last year, and Keller鈥檚 reelection, were ultimately what pushed her to sell.

鈥淪ome people might get pissed off, but it鈥檚 true,鈥� Cordova said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been through the drugs, prostitution 鈥� we鈥檝e been through all that. We survived a lot.鈥�

It is solely the property for sale and not the business, Cordova noted.

She did offer the business to two longtime employees she said she trusted to keep the restaurant鈥檚 legacy going. But those employees did not end up taking the offer, so Cordova said Loyola鈥檚 name and recipes will come to an end when the property sells. The diner will remain open, business as usual, until then.

鈥淢y mom worked too hard to keep her name and keep her legacy, and I don鈥檛 want somebody else to come in and destroy it,鈥� Cordova said.

The property, which Cordova said is 75 years old, spans 3,861 square feet, comes with 29 parking spaces and sees more than 17,000 vehicles pass by per day, according to Absolute Investment Realty鈥檚 listing. The listing touts the availability as 鈥渁 turnkey opportunity for an owner-operator or investor鈥� looking to acquire 鈥渁 beloved, well-established destination known by locals and visitors alike.鈥�

Regulars eating lunch at the diner on Tuesday expressed sadness when told about the property鈥檚 listing, saying they hoped the historic property would go to someone who cares about the community as much as Cordova has.

鈥淚 hate to see it go,鈥� said longtime customer Ed Tanuz. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a place where we all hung out for many years.鈥�

For Cordova, keeping customers happy and maintaining her mother鈥檚 legacy was the most rewarding part of the venture.

鈥淟oyola鈥檚 has meant the world to me,鈥� she said.

Kylie Garcia covers retail and real estate for the Journal. You can reach her at kgarcia@abqjournal.com.