Longtime Mexican restaurant Casa Ramirez to close dine-in operations
Casa Ramirez, one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in Mahoning Valley is set to close at the end of the month due to staffing shortages.
The family-owned restaurant announced on Tuesday through Facebook that its dining service will be put on hold as it restructures its business model. There is no set reopening date at this time.
Why staffing issues impacted Casa Ramirez
Carlos Ramirez, the restaurant manager, said that the restaurant has always had to rehire staff often due to most of their workers being high school or college students.
“The amount of students looking to work just kind of dwindled down. I don’t know if they’re just not looking for work in our area or if they’re moving somewhere other than Youngstown,” Ramirez said by phone on Wednesday.
Ramirez said his parents founded the restaurant in 1992 and handed him the reins 13 years ago. However, due to the staffing shortages, his parents would often come in and help when needed.
“We’re kind of doing everything. We’re waiting on tables, cooking. It’s getting to the point where they’re getting pretty exhausted.”
What will Casa Ramirez offer moving forward?
Customers can still enjoy home-cooked food through their catering service. Ramirez said the management team is working to expand their catering operations and even provide instructions on buying in bulk and freezing their food. He said the restaurant may temporarily open on holidays like Cinco de Mayo or Dia de los Muertos.
“It was an extremely hard decision because we have such loyal customers. We were so touched by the overwhelming support our customers have shown us.”
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This story was originally published May 22, 2024 at 12:21 PM