El Chico closes in Lubbock after 50 years

El Chico Cafe, a Lubbock restaurant for 50 years, permanently closed Monday, according to a statement from the restaurant’s owner.

The Tex-Mex restaurant has been located at 4301 Marsha Sharp Freeway since well before there was a freeway in town. It was one of the longest-operating restaurants in the city.

The Lubbock restaurant was opened by Ken and Patricia Carter in 1969. The couple passed El Chico on to their son Scott Carter. According to Ken Carter’s 2016 obituary the family was the longest-tenured El Chico franchisee.

The Carters also founded Otto’s Granary, next door to El Chico at 4119 Marsha Sharp Freeway. Scott Carter has chosen to close El Chico to focus on Otto’s Granary full-time.

“We are sorry for any inconvenience to our faithful customers, but we are excited to be expanding Otto's Granary merchandise to not only Lubbock but throughout the United States via our online services,” reads a statement. “Please be on the look out for notices regarding the expansion of Otto's Granary."

Lubbock’s El Chico was a part of a Dallas restaurant brand founded in 1940. There are eight other El Chico locations in Texas and 22 total in the U.S.