After serving the City of Jackson for over 10 years, Babalu Tapas and Tacos will permanently close in Fondren. This is an easy decision for the current ownership group.
Babalu first opened in Fondren in 2010. Rick Spell and daughter Christy Spell Terry are the founders of Spell Restaurant Group, which acquired the franchise in 2020.
On Friday, a notice was posted outside the restaurant announcing that hiring and water issues were behind the decision to permanently close.
“We did not take the decision to close BABALU Jackson lightly, and we regret having to do so. Members of our team will receive severance packages and positions at other restaurants in West Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle, and we are pleased to have Several people have accepted the offer,” Murray Lace Alexander said via email. Alexander is a Senior Account Manager at Spell Restaurant Group.
Before:Babalu Tapas & Tacos Announces New Owner and Refurbishment Program
“We thank our loyal guests and the City of Jackson and the Fondren community for supporting us over the years,” Alexander said. “We will always have fond memories of our original BABALU location.”
Babalu has two locations in Memphis, one in Knoxville, Tennessee, and three locations in Florida.
Babalu isn’t the only restaurant to close during the water crisis. A Jackson Cracker Barrel has announced that it will temporarily close in September. 13. Jackson’s boiling water notice was cancelled in September. 15, but a Monday voicemail from Cracker Barrel said the location was still temporarily closed.
Do you have a story idea? Reporter Kiara Fleming can be reached at KDFleming@jackson.gannett.com.You can also follow her on Twitter @ki_dajournalist