Taco shop that hit the spot for El Pasoans has closed (Austin: sales, credit card)

[Smooth from ELP]

Originally Posted by 1AngryTaxPayer

Why was it closed?

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It's Chico's Tacos versus Chuco's Tacos. - [domain blocked due to spam]

[texlnghorn]

Originally Posted by Muhnay

Oh you mean the dream he stole? The dream he copied? Hell had this guy opened his taco shop and not tried to steal an El Paso tradition/staple and prospered off someone elses ideas and food.. I wouldn't of cared either way. But go ahead and make me the focus.. make this about me, distract from the real story here.. he was forced to close by the courts.. the law suit must of had some merit, or he would still be open. Its not like I drove to Austin and forced this guy to close. Hope this teaches the punk that he cant steal someone elses ideas and prosper from them. So yes it is Fantastic that he got his just due.

The 10th street tacos were not identical. They were very similar. Truth be told, I like the Chicos tacos better. 10th street knew there was a market for this type of food in Austin. There still is and probably always will be with so many El Paso expats. I don't know whether or not 10th street informed Chicos of their intent prior to opening but they should have. Who knows, maybe Chicos would have given their ok for this dish in Austin. I agree that 10th street should not have stolen the idea from Chicos. I hope Chicos recognizes the market for their tacos here in Austin and decides to go ahead and open up a restaruant here. I would be one of the first in line.

[Muhnay]

Originally Posted by texlnghorn

The 10th street tacos were not identical. They were very similar. Truth be told, I like the Chicos tacos better. 10th street knew there was a market for this type of food in Austin. There still is and probably always will be with so many El Paso expats. I don't know whether or not 10th street informed Chicos of their intent prior to opening but they should have. Who knows, maybe Chicos would have given their ok for this dish in Austin. I agree that 10th street should not have stolen the idea from Chicos. I hope Chicos recognizes the market for their tacos here in Austin and decides to go ahead and open up a restaruant here. I would be one of the first in line.

Everyone seems to think it was just this dish he stole.. CHUCOS/CHICOS, The Logos on the signs, then the whole dish and the way it was presented. There was a time he even had a tribute to where he got the idea from, and then quickly changed that when the law suit hit him in the nose... So lets be fair and honest here.

[Smooth from ELP]

Regardless if the Chucos Management faltered in their business knowledge and practices. The results are obvious.

The point of this thread is after the fact. Here are some comments that support my sentiments:

"This is so sad. Those guys over that at Chuco’s worked so hard to make a living and expand on a tradition started by Chico’s. It’s so sad to see that we can’t work together to help each other out. Que Lastima if the lawsuit caused them to shut down."

"If they closed because of Chico’s than this is *****.
They shared one menu item - the drowning tacos - and you know what? Chuco’s were way better.
Chico’s needs to either actually grow the balls and make an investment to move into Austin, or stop being conceited by blocking others with something similar.
I could understand if Chico’s was also in Austin, but why fight this battle when you aren’t? ****."

"Going to miss that place. I felt like I was home when I went there. So sad."

"I can’t believe that Chico’s would make such a big deal. It’s attitudes like theirs that made me leave El Paso years ago. While I admit that Chuco’s was playing off of their style, their food was way better than anything I ever had at a Chico’s"

"Sorry to see this happen. I’m a native El Pasoan and loved Chico’s growing up. Frankly, you can’t call yourself an El Pasoan if you don’t!
I was really excited when Chuco’s opened, but only got to visit twice. Both times though, the rolled tacos at Chuco’s were great. I hope they can work this out and re-open somewhere."

[texlnghorn]

Originally Posted by Muhnay

Everyone seems to think it was just this dish he stole.. CHUCOS/CHICOS, The Logos on the signs, then the whole dish and the way it was presented. There was a time he even had a tribute to where he got the idea from, and then quickly changed that when the law suit hit him in the nose... So lets be fair and honest here.

As soon as I heard the name Chucos, I knew exactly what I would find (i.e. the signature drowning taco dish). It was obvious to me that the name was targeted to bring in El Paso expats who crave the taco dish. It worked. There is even a mural on the wall with all of the El Paso area high schools and UTEP so you know the restaurant has El Paso roots. But the restaurants are polar opposites. The only thing that is similar is the taco dish. And I say similar not identical. The flavors are different. I did not think it was possible to copyright a food item. Chicos did not invent the drowning taco dish so I don't know why you insist that Chucos/10th street stole their idea. The restaruants are/were nothing alike except for the 1 taco dish. Again, Chicos did not invent this dish. So explain to me how Chucos/10th Street tacos stole their idea?

[cpelp]

Originally Posted by Muhnay

Oh you mean the dream he stole?

I may have totally missed something here, but if Chico's refuses to expand outside of El Paso, then exactly what dream is being stolen from Chico's ownership? Thier dream of not opening a restaurant in Austin???

If they're smart they'd go franchise Chico's. If they choose not to, so be it, they obviously don't care about the market outside El Paso and that's their choice. In which case, if someone else does, why should it bother them? Is this like the common mentality in Mexico of dragging everyone else down to your level so that no one gets ahead, instead of applauding those that do? You don't want to make it happen therefor no one else can???

I feel like I should have missed something for this to make any sense, but I can't see where I did.

[Smooth from ELP]

Originally Posted by texlnghorn

As soon as I heard the name Chucos, I knew exactly what I would find (i.e. the signature drowning taco dish). It was obvious to me that the name was targeted to bring in El Paso expats who crave the taco dish. It worked. There is even a mural on the wall with all of the El Paso area high schools and UTEP so you know the restaurant has El Paso roots. But the restaurants are polar opposites. The only thing that is similar is the taco dish. And I say similar not identical. The flavors are different. I did not think it was possible to copyright a food item. Chicos did not invent the drowning taco dish so I don't know why you insist that Chucos/10th street stole their idea. The restaruants are/were nothing alike except for the 1 taco dish. Again, Chicos did not invent this dish. So explain to me how Chucos/10th Street tacos stole their idea?

The idea was not stolen but some other aspects were too close for comfort for the Mora family. The name was Chucos Tacos. The logo was almost the same. The tacos "looked" similiar. That is it.

[Smooth from ELP]

Originally Posted by cpelp

I may have totally missed something here, but if Chico's refuses to expand outside of El Paso, then exactly what dream is being stolen from Chico's ownership? Thier dream of not opening a restaurant in Austin???

If they're smart they'd go franchise Chico's. If they choose not to, so be it, they obviously don't care about the market outside El Paso and that's their choice. In which case, if someone else does, why should it bother them? Is this like the common mentality in Mexico of dragging everyone else down to your level so that no one gets ahead, instead of applauding those that do? You don't want to make it happen therefor no one else can???

I feel like I should have missed something for this to make any sense, but I can't see where I did.

No dream stolen at all. The Mora family is content with what they currently have. The same style, the same format, the same everything...for close to 50 years.

Yes its the mentality of being insecure and not wanting anyone else to have what you have. Our culture is envious and afraid to branch out. We are afraid to think outside the box.

It does not make any sense at all to me either. I agree with you 100%!!!

[Smooth from ELP]

I was in the area and I stopped by Chucos/10th Street. They have a new name and it looks like they might re-open. I hope they do not change the menu. So there might be a happy ending after all.

[fakeguy]

I live in El Paso and don't understand why anyone is fighting over this. Chico's is way overrated (sp?) and disgusting. I never go more than once a year and I only order the burger. If someone in Austin wants to make tacos let him, and if he changes the name and the Mora family is still being an a#$ with the lawsuit then the f that family. To fight over tacos 500 miles is dumb especially since the Mora family to afraid to leave El Paso where everyone else would call those "tacos" crap.

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