LUBBOCK, Texas -
Lubbock's growth is usually a good thing for city businesses, but an iconic restaurant is facing negative repercussions because of it. Mean Woman Grill will be whipping up its last few meals and closing its doors Saturday, May 14 at 10 p.m.
"I was really upset because it's such an awesome place and we have such wonderful customers coming in," said general manager, Rhonda Griffin.
Restaurant staffers and regulars say they were torn after hearing the Mean Woman was having to close her doors.
"You pour your heart into a place like this so it's not easy," part owner Jimmy Dunn said.
The restaurant is situated on leased land located off Marsha Sharp Freeway and Avenue U. It's slated for the wrecking ball to make room for a new hotel.
"Basically somebody came along and the golden story... made an offer too good to refuse to the people that owned the land," Dunn said.
Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Eddie McBride said the demand for hotel rooms is high.
"Over the next several years there is going to be an additional, up to an additional 1,000 rooms that are going to be created," McBride said. "We're growing at a very quick rate but it's growing to accommodate the amount of people that are coming into town to use the hotel services."
Texas Tech University plays a big role in that demand.
"You pinch Texas Tech and Lubbock hurts," McBride said. "The university has been so successful at growing to 40,000 students, so obviously every year as we gain more students, gain more administrative, more professors, more folks to help on campus. That impact is felt throughout the community."
Marsha Sharp Freeway has also been a boon with hotel development thriving in that corridor.
"It was painful during the Marsha Sharp Freeway creation it put some businesses out of work but the fact of the matter is that I think it's going to help more job creation to go there," McBride said.
Dunn and Griffin now feeling that pain.
"You know your whole life revolves around a restaurant," Dunn said "It's a difficult deal leaving it. It's going to be hard.
"All of the staff and the owners is like a little family," Griffin said.
Mean Woman Grill has no immediate plans to reopen.
