Longtime San Jose Restaurant Closing for Good

Fernando Galindo said on May 21 that La Grullensa Restaurant in East San Jose will close this weekend after more than 35 years, ending a run that he said began with his parents in 1991. Galindo told NBC Bay Area that construction tied to the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority’s Eastridge-to-BART light rail extension drove customers away from the restaurant at CrossRoads Shopping Center on South Capitol Avenue. He said La Grullensa had survived the post-9/11 economy, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, but not two years of road work, detours and lane closures. VTA said in a statement that it was saddened by the closure and had provided financial assistance, advertising and outreach to affected businesses. ### When is La Grullensa closing, and where is it? La Grullensa Restaurant is set to shut down this weekend at CrossRoads Shopping Center on South Capitol Avenue in East San Jose, according to Galindo’s interview with NBC Bay Area. The station reported on May 21 that the restaurant had been serving customers for more than 35 years. (nbcbayarea.com) Fernando Galindo said in a February NBC Bay Area interview that his parents started the business in 1991. That timeline aligns with the station’s later description of the restaurant as a longtime neighborhood business. ### What does the owner say pushed the restaurant to close? Fernando Galindo said VTA construction “killed” his business and drove away customers who once reached the shopping center easily. (nbcbayarea.com) He told NBC Bay Area that “It didn’t work out” and that he had tried to keep the restaurant open, but the disruption became “too overwhelming.” (nbcbayarea.com) Business losses were already severe by late February. Galindo told NBC Bay Area in March that La Grullensa had lost 60% to 70% of its business since the project started, and he said at the time that the restaurant might be forced to close within months even with aid. ### What construction is happening outside the shopping center? (nbcbayarea.com) VTA says the Eastridge to BART Regional Connector will extend light rail from the existing Alum Rock station to the Eastridge Transit Center, largely along Capitol Expressway. The project includes an elevated station at Story Road and an at-grade station at Eastridge Transit Center. (nbcbayarea.com) Construction began in 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in 2028, according to VTA’s project page. The agency says the work will increase traffic and drive time because of permanent and temporary lane closures on Capitol Expressway, and that large equipment will create noise and vibrations for people who live or work along the corridor. (vta.org) ### How much help has VTA offered nearby businesses? VTA announced in March that it would provide $1 million in grants for businesses affected by the light-rail extension. NBC Bay Area later reported on May 21 that the agency had issued more than $265,000 in microgrants so far and said more funding was on the way. (vta.org) VTA’s microgrant program says businesses within 100 feet of the project and with fewer than 35 employees can qualify for grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, while some businesses within 1,200 feet can qualify for a one-time $3,500 grant. The agency says applications are open until March 31, 2027, subject to eligibility rules including revenue limits and proof the business operated before September 2024 heavy construction. (nbcbayarea.com) ### What have other businesses and officials said? Alex Waziri, who owns Fast Delivery Pizza next to La Grullensa, told NBC Bay Area in February that he had lost roughly $40,000 in the previous year and could no longer afford a delivery driver. NBC Bay Area reported then that his lease was due to expire that Saturday and that he could not afford to renew it. (vta.gov) Santa Clara County Supervisor Sylvia Arenas, who sits on the VTA board, told NBC Bay Area in March that staff should have responded sooner to predicted business losses. “It’s a level of disappointment rather than anger,” Arenas said, adding that it could be “a combination of both.” ### What happens next for the corridor? (nbcbayarea.com) VTA says construction on the Eastridge-to-BART project will continue through 2028, with weekly construction updates posted on the agency’s project page. The business microgrant program remains active, and VTA says eligible applications can be filed through March 31, 2027. (vta.org) (nbcbayarea.com)