A family-run restaurant that, for decades, was a favorite eatery for both University of New Mexico students and locals was demolished recently, much to the chagrin of its former patrons.
“It’s sad to see it go,” resident Caroline Begay said of Mannie’s Restaurant, which officially closed in 2020 due to infrastructure problems, according to KRQE News. “It’s one of those places that you have memories of, and, yeah, it’s sad to see it go.”
The restaurant, which offered a menu that featured everything from pancakes to huevos rancheros, was located on Central and Girard for 55 years.
“I was there a few times meeting up with friends after high school and we would go in, have coffee, have a few drinks and just hang out,” Begay told KRQE. “It’s been there a long time.”
The building was demolished to make room for new construction. Plans are underway to build a 4,000-square-foot structure, which would house several businesses. Developers said there are plans for a rooftop and outdoor patio facing Central.
“I think it will help revitalize the university area -- the Nob Hill area -- and there’s a lot of development that’s already started and already been completed that’s doing just that,” Todd Strickland, director of real estate for NAI SunVista, told KRQE News.
Construction of the new building is expected to be completed by March 2024. Developers said the new building would be powered entirely by solar panels.
“I think it’s exciting that the whole area is getting a lot of new development and growth, but at the same time, it can be kind of bittersweet,” local resident Ian Shaw told KRQE News.
