Arrivederci, Roma’s

Restaurant closing downtown location after lease could not be worked out with building owner.DOWNTOWN BURBANK -- Unable to work out a new lease agreement with the building owner, the popular restaurant Tony Roma’s is due to shutter its Downtown Burbank location today.

The ribs, steak and seafood eatery has been in downtown for more than 10 years in a space that used to be a shoe store.

“It’s unfortunate the lease came to an end,” said Marc Buehler, vice president of marketing for Tony Roma’s. “We’d hate to walk away from Burbank at this point.”

Consolidated Ribs Inc., based in Glendale, is the franchisee for the Burbank location and three other Tony Roma’s restaurants.

Consolidated Ribs pays for the rights to use the Tony Roma’s name, said Brad Smith, vice president for franchise operations for Tony Roma’s.

“I’m fairly certain they will take care of [the employees],” Smith said. “They’ve always been a good employer.”

David Hsia, marketing director for Consolidated Ribs, said the company will do its best to offer employees jobs at other Tony Roma’s locations in Glendale, Universal City and Beverly Hills. Because of a limited amount of positions, however, not all of the 50 employees at the Burbank restaurant will have that option, Hsia said.

“We realize it’s a tough situation for everyone,” Hsia said. “We have some very loyal employees and ...we definitely wanted to make sure we took care of them.”

The franchise hoped to keep the restaurant in Burbank, Hsia said, but was unable to reach an agreement with the property owner on the renewal terms of the lease.

Property owner Morris Goodstein said the restaurant had an option to extend the lease but decided not to take it.

He is working with other businesses to fill the 6,100-square-foot space, said Goodstein, who operated a shoe store for 50 years in the building.

“It won’t be empty for long,” Goodstein predicted. “It’s a prime location right in the heart of Burbank.”

As of Wednesday, the Burbank location was removed from the Tony Roma’s website.

Restaurant general manager Felipe Delatorres declined to speak about the closure, and attempts to reach district manager Chuck Donnelly were not successful.

City Manager Mary Alvord called it “sad” that the restaurant is closing, because it was among the first businesses to open as the city began to revitalize the downtown area.

It was seen as a positive sign that downtown would become a destination spot when a chain restaurant located there, Alvord said.

“But it must have been a challenge for them; with new businesses coming in they are seeing some of their market peeled away,” Alvord said. “I would have loved to have them stay but it comes down to a business proposition.”