After closing Jan. 9 due to construction issues, Burrito Brothers Taco Co. on West University Avenue will reopen today at 11 a.m.
Randy Akerson, co-owner of Burrito Bros., said most of the structural problems were part of the Presbyterian and Disciples of Christ Student Center next to the restaurant.
“If the roof collapsed, it might affect the wall that divides us,” he said. “They’ve taken a temporary measure to render that side of the building.”
Akerson said he was relieved that the restaurant is reopening after closing for two weeks.
“We’ve leveled our bank accounts,” he said. “To have our cash flow vanish for two weeks is catastrophic for any restaurant.”
Akerson said he paid the staff out-of-pocket to ensure they would not leave to find other work, which cost him about “five figures.”
“It was imperative for the kids to be taken care of while we were closed,” he said. “These are good kids, and they work very hard.”
He added that the staff has been working since Monday to prepare for the reopening.
“It takes about 20 hours of labor to open on any day,” he said. “You can only imagine how long it takes to open after being closed for this long.”
Matthew Cole, a 20-year-old UF nuclear engineering junior, said he visited the restaurant last Wednesday to get a bite to eat, only to find the restaurant closed.
“I went there, and the sign was on the fence,” he said. “I was upset because I had to go somewhere mediocre.”
Cole said he visited the restaurant about one to two times a week last semester and added that he was relieved that it was open again.
“There’s definitely a good chance I will be there for the reopening,” he said.
Mark Rush, a UF economics professor, said he was “deeply concerned” that the restaurant would not open again.
“Simply thinking about that possibility made me realize how sad I would be if it never reopened,” he wrote in an email. “Even on days when I do not go to BB, simply knowing that it is open is reassuring.”
Rush mentioned that he’s had a history with the restaurant since he started teaching at UF.
“For what it’s worth, I can tell you that the owner of BB introduced me to President Machen inside of BB’s old location,” he wrote. “Apparently President Machen, too, is a big fan.”
Akerson said he hopes for a big crowd today.
“We didn’t die,” he said. “It was not our decision to close, and we didn’t go out of business. We promise.”
