A pandemic may not be ideal circumstances for opening a new restaurant, but New Orleans-based chain Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria is moving forward with a new location at the Shops at Kenilworth in Towson.
“The restaurant industry has always been known for literally taking lemons and making lemonade,” Charles Arinder, a manager at Felipe’s home office, said in a statement. “And it is our hope that the Towson community and Baltimore County neighbors see our resilience and dedication to being a true part of the community, even when it’s hard.”
The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday for outdoor dining, limited indoor dining, and carryout. The 3,600-square-foot building features outdoor seating, roll-up doors and a margarita bar.
“We’re hiring people who need work, we’re forging ahead with our plans, and we’re excited to be opening at The Shops at Kenilworth,” Arinder said.
Felipe’s restaurant in Towson is the fast-casual chain’s first Mid-Atlantic location. The company also has restaurants in Louisiana, Florida and Massachusetts.
The Towson location will offer Mexican staples, including tacos, burritos, salads and more, with selections of different meats, such as spicy tomato and chipotle chicken, slow-cooked pork and caramelized pork with a guajillo pepper marinade. The restaurant will also serve its signature hand-squeezed, key-lime margaritas.
Felipe’s opening comes after the Lyfe Cafe, another restaurant in the Towson mall, closed last week due to the economic effects of the coronavirus.
In a June 17 post on the restaurant’s Facebook page, owner Penny Seabolt said the restaurant applied for loans and grants over the last three months but did not receive the funding they needed to stay afloat.
“Restaurants, big and small, are complicated beasts; you have to order food, which is perishable, supplies,” the post read. “COVID has now impacted businesses and the way they operate. Businesses, moving forward, now have to endure more costs; masks, screens, gloves, disinfectants, etc. For a very small business with no funding, it’s not possible for us.”
However, Seabolt said Lyfe Cafe plans to go mobile to continue to offer its products in a “different, more effective way,” and she encouraged people to follow the cafe on social media to see where they will be.
The Shops at Kenilworth mall includes a mix of restaurants and retail stores, including Trader Joe’s, Atwater’s, Kenilworth Wine & Spirits, and more.
