-Editorial
Calexico residents will soon lose one of the city’s most recognizable dining and entertainment destinations as Applebee’s is scheduled to close on June 16. The closure comes just weeks after the shutdown of the Calexico movie theater located nearby, leaving another vacancy in the city’s commercial corridor. Opened in 2005, Applebee’s quickly became a popular gathering place for families, young adults, and visitors, offering late-night dining, a full bar and a variety of food and beverage options.
During a recent Calexico City Council meeting, City Manager Ben Martinez reported that the company decided to close the restaurant due to the high cost of operating in California and weak lunchtime business. Martinez said the city remains in communication with corporate representatives and expressed optimism that new opportunities could emerge for the site in the future.
A few years ago, Applebee’s faced possible closure when its lease was set to expire, but then City Manager Miguel Figueroa reached an agreement with the corporation to keep the restaurant open in the city; however, that arrangement has since expired, and the location is now set to close for good.
Calexico has faced a challenging year for local businesses and community gathering spaces. On Christmas Day 2025, the Calexico Denny’s was destroyed in a fire caused by an early-morning equipment malfunction, shutting down the city’s only 24-hour dining option and a long-time venue for family gatherings, private events, and community meetings.
The loss was widely felt across the community. However, there is progress on the horizon. Mayor Victor Legaspi recently reported that the property owner, Alex Campillo, has secured the necessary permits to begin reconstruction, with plans for a larger and improved Denny’s. City Manager Martinez added that construction is expected to take about one year.
At the same time, Calexico’s retail landscape is shifting, with TJ Maxx set to open at the Grand Plaza Outlets and Dutch Bros Coffee under construction near the Calexico Starbucks location. Still, the closures of key entertainment venues like Denny’s and the movie theater have contributed to a sense of concern among residents about the city’s economic momentum and how it’s becoming a ghost town.
A post published on the Team Calexico page, which is reportedly managed by council members Diana Nuricumbo and Lisa Tylenda, questioned recent developments in the city’s leadership and economic conditions.
The post stated that “Legaspi and (Mayor Pro Tem) Calderón went to great lengths to keep the mayor’s office and vice mayor’s office, even ignoring what the people had clearly expressed. But there is a saying that never fails: ‘When it’s your turn, even if you try to avoid it; and when it’s not your turn, even if you try to get it.’”
It continued, “And the results of imposing incompetence are visible to everyone,” referencing the fire that destroyed the Calexico Denny’s, the closure of the movie theater, and the pending closure of Applebee’s.
The post added, “It seems that not even the universe agrees with this pair of political experiments,” and criticized city leadership for focusing on appearances rather than addressing local challenges, concluding by asking residents, “What do you think?”
Calexico Mayor Victor Legaspi responded to a Team Calexico statement, saying the closures of local businesses are not the result of city leadership.
“People are not going to dine at Applebee’s, people are not attending the movies; that’s why they closed down,” Legaspi said. “It’s not because of the three council members or myself. I’ve always mentioned to shop local, go to your local places.”
He urged residents to support local businesses, noting that declining patronage over time contributes to closures.
“We have a lot of good places out there to go to, restaurants and businesses that we need to support so they don’t leave,” he said. “It’s sad. When I went to the movies on the last day, an employee told me it had been packed for the last three days. I went to Applebee’s the other evening, and it was pretty packed. But what happened during the rest of the years before that?”
Legaspi added that while some businesses see strong turnout at times, consistent long-term support is necessary to sustain them. “There is good food out there, good places, and good people who take care of their patrons,” he said. “So let’s help out our businesses, please. That’s all I have to say.”
