37-Year-Old Texas Barbecue Restaurant Saved by Employees After Closing
April 14, 2025 | 1 min to read
The beloved Green Mesquite BBQ in Austin faced tough times, facing temporary closure after owner Rick Garcia struggled with rising meat costs and unpaid rent. After being closed for four days, the 37-year-old barbecue joint received crucial support from its dedicated staff members, allowing it to reopen and continue serving its community amidst challenging circumstances.
It has been a fixture on a popular stretch of Austin.
To say it’s been a tough time to run a restaurant, and especially a barbecue joint, is an understatement. The rising cost of meat prices, the ever-changing habits of diners, the uncertainty posed by tariffs and other outside factors have put plenty of restaurateurs in challenging situations lately.
The reality of the current situation hit one Texas barbecue spot pretty hard. Green Mesquite BBQ, a 37-year-old operation on Barton Springs Road in Austin, shuttered temporarily because owner Rick Garcia hadn’t paid his rent. For four days, Green Mesquite was closed, but then it got a lifeline from its own staff members.
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