For 45 years, generations of ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ans celebrated everything from Little League victories to birthday parties at the northwest side .
Within the next two weeks, though, the restaurant at 6444 N. Oracle Road that started out as an outpost of the national burger and ice cream chain in 1977 will close for good.
Alex Mustaffa, who has owned the restaurant since 2017, said he will close no later than June 15, two weeks before his lease expires. But the closing could come sooner, he said, if he runs out of supplies or doesn’t have enough employees to keep the doors open.
“I think everything has its time,†Mustaffa said. “I think this business model, the time has expired on it.â€
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Until COVID-19 came along, the family-friendly, no-alcohol business model worked for Sullivan’s.
“It was a place that generated good memories for people,†said Jerry Sullivan, who with his wife Kathy had run the restaurant from 1986 until selling it to Mustaffa. “We had built up quite a following. I think some of that went away during the pandemic. A lot of people were afraid to go out and older people hesitated to come out because of how the virus affected different age groups.â€
Soren Goraj, 8, smiles as he dips into his ice cream sundae at Sullivan’s Eatery & Creamery.
When restaurants were forced to close their dining rooms at the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Mustaffa transitioned to takeout. He operated a few so-called ghost kitchens — virtual restaurants operated out of existing restaurants through third-party apps — and streamlined the menu so that he wasn’t buying product that would ultimately go to waste. He even toyed with the idea of adding alcohol to the mix, which would have required about an $80,000 investment and at least three years to recoup it, he said.
Mustaffa, a financial strategist and analyst before he bought the restaurant, understood that would have been a losing proposition especially given the perfect storm brewing for independent restaurants like his.
When he reopened his dining room in May 2020, it was at half-capacity. He had trouble getting enough staff to work and a majority of Sullivan’s regulars, many of them older folks, didn’t return. Families also were staying away.
Cook George Hernandez puts out hot lunch orders at Sullivan's.
“I understand; I have a family,†said Mustaffa, a ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ native and father of four young kids whose connection to the restaurant goes back to his childhood. “My wife isn’t taking the kids out as much. People have adjusted their lifestyles. Pre-COVID, three-day weekends were slammed; now, it’s the exact opposite. Any three-day weekend we’re just dead.â€
When the Sullivans decided to retire in 2017 — Jerry Sullivan said they were 75 years old and no longer had the stamina needed to run a restaurant — Mustaffa saw the opportunity to buy it as a good investment. For the first couple years, he was right; the restaurant made record profits in 2018 and 2019.
But then the pandemic arrived and sales nose-dived. Longtime customers have yet to return in their pre-pandemic numbers. Even families have slipped off; sales of kids meals is down 50%, Mustaffa said.
Add into that mix nationwide supply chain issues, increased food costs and the hiring dilemma plaguing the hospitality industry and you have that perfect storm that Sullivan alluded to.
“I’m disappointed,†Sullivan said. “I think it just kind of sucked the life out of him. It never seemed to end. There were two of us when we were there, my wife and I. With Alex, he has a wife and four young children. He was by himself as far as running the restaurant. I think it just burned him out.â€
Autumn Hand serves lunch orders at Sullivan's Eatery & Creamery.
Sullivan’s is the latest ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ restaurant casualty. Since the pandemic, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has lost dozens of restaurants including several that had been around for decades like Sullivan’s. Among them: Poca Cosa downtown, which closed in October 2020 after 36 years; the 25-year-old Fronimo’s Greek Cafe on East Speedway, which closed its doors in January 2021 after failing to negotiate a new lease; B Line Cafe on North Fourth Avenue, which closed in February 2021 after 20 years; and the 27-year-old south-side staple El Indio on South Sixth Avenue, which never reopened after the initial shutdown in March 2020.
Shift lead Armando Sanchez makes a junior ice cream sundae at Sullivan's Eatery & Creamery, 6444 N. Oracle Road.
Nationwide, some 90,000 restaurants, many of them independently owned, have permanently or temporarily closed since the start of the pandemic, according to a . Restaurant industry sales in 2021 are down $65 billion from 2019’s pre-pandemic levels and the industry has 1 million fewer employees than it did in 2019, the association reported.
Mustaffa, who plans to return to his old job as a finance guy in August, said Sullivan’s will be open from noon to 5 p.m. daily until they close, although the operating hours could fluctuate depending on the number of employees available to work.
Restaurants and bars that opened in the ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ area in 2022
Oh My Chicken
Pictured are sweet chili chicken tenders from Oh My Chicken at Park Place Mall.
Park Place Mall Food Court, 5870 E. Broadway
Korean-style fried chicken
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This new mall vendor serves some of the best fried chicken in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Mountain Mike's Pizza
Mario Rosales cuts up a a pizza at Mountain Mike's Pizza. The restaurant occupies the former Five Guys space at Oracle and Wetmore roads.
4362 N. Oracle Road
520-524-1700
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The restaurant is known for its 20-inch pies.
Muncheez
Aurelio, left, and Morgan Garcia prepare a customer order for Muncheez, set up outside Dragoon Brewing, 1859 W. Grant Road.
Outside Danny's Baboqivari Lounge, 2910 E. Fort Lowell Road
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Aurelio and Morgan Garcia opened their food stand in September.
This new food stand serves two of our favorite comfort foods: burgers and tacos
Tran's Fats
After years in the making, local foodie Jackie Tran has opened Tran's Fats at Hotel McCoy.
Jackie Tran opened this food truck in November. It can be found at Hotel McCoy, 720 W. Silverlake Road, most of the time.
Check out Ìýwebsite for other locations.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s favorite foodie Jackie Tran just opened a food truck
Rollies Mexican food truck
Birria rojo tacos with melted cheese and spiced beef broth are all the rage at Rollie's Mexican Patio.
Rollies Mexican Patio opened its second location with a food truck at the MSA Annex, 267 S. Avenida del Convento, Nov. 1, 2022.
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ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ favorite Rollies is opening a food truck at the MSA Annex
Houlden’s Rise Above
Hannah Houlden is the owner of Houlden’s Rise Above. Her vegan pastries, which include turnovers, pop tarts, cookies and more, tend to sell out at Coffee Times Drive-Thru.
Owner Hannah Houlden opened this brick and mortar vegan bakery atÌý5029 E. Fifth St. this year.Ìý
The bakery is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. until items are sold out. Houlden's pastries can also be found at several coffeehouses around ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Mojo Cuban Kitchen and Rum Bar
Mojo's venue was completely redesigned from the spot's previous iteration as a Caribbean-themed nightclub, at .
1929 E. Grant Road
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Mojo Cuban opened Oct. 30, 2022.
This new restaurant brings Cuban flavors to midtown ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥
Tita Tita
Philip Rieff and Cody Webster are the masterminds behind Tita Tita, bringing Filipino food to ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
Tita Tita is a pop-up restaurant serving Filipino food. Owners Philip Rieff and Cody Webster hope to open in a brick and mortar location in the future. Go to to see where it will pop up next.
There's a new spot serving Filipino food in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, from lumpia to BBQ
The Cookie Plug
150 N. Campbell Ave.
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Cookies are baked fresh daily. More locations will open in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ next year.
Two Hands Corn Dogs
Corn dogs or cheese sticks can be covered in crispy rice puffs or potato cubes and drizzled with “dirty sauce†at Two Hands Corndog shop.
2786 N. Campbell Ave.
781-786-1193
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Two Hands Corn Dogs opened its first ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ location October 12, 2022. This unique eatery featuresÌýseven Korean-style corn dog options, plus fries and elote.
Two more ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥-area locations are in the works.
Rudy’s “Country Store†& Bar-B-Q
Construction continues on the new Rudy’s “Country Store†& Bar-B-Q restaurant, 2130 E. Ajo Way. The Texas-based company has three Phoenix-area Rudy’s locations and plans to open its ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ location on June 21.
2130 E Ajo Way
520-908-7397
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Rudy’s specializes in all things barbecue from their popular brisket to smoked turkey breast, chicken, ribs and pulled pork. Meat is sold by the half-pound — ranging from $6.99 for sausage links to $10.99 for brisket — and sides are a la carte.
Bonafide "Texplorer" Chet Garner, host of "The Daytripper" that explores all things Texas, learns how to cut a brisket like a pro from the Rudy's "Country Store" & Bar-B-Q team.
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Nattha's Bann Thai Asian
Nattha's Bann Thai Asian recently opened in the former Peking Palace, serving up Thai and Cantonese dishes including the pictured shrimp Pad Thai.Ìý
6970 E. 22nd St.
, located at 6970 E. 22nd St., opened around June and serves up Thai and Cantonese dishes from mussaman curry to Pad Thai.Ìý
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By the Bucket
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ is getting its first By The Bucket takeout spaghetti shop this fall near Kolb and Tanque Verde roads.
2130 N. Kolb Road
(520) 771-6917
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By the Bucket sells hot spaghetti to go in a bucket, meatballs, meatball subs, deserts and cold drinks.
By The Bucket's kitchens are simple, with steamers for the spaghetti, warmers for the marinara and meatballs, and a toaster for the bread.
Peace, Love and Pops
A pedestrian walks past soon to be popsicle restaurant Peace, Love & Pops, 845 E. University Blvd., in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz. on March 24, 2022.Ìý
814 E University Blvd
(520) 372-7805
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A new popsicle shop — Peace, Love & Pops — will be going in at 845 E. University Blvd. The restaurant, which Ìýwill feature fresh fruit popsicles as well as more inventive flavors, from regional prickly pear to cream-based popsicles with cereal, is expected to open in late April or early May.
Tooley's Cafe
Tooley'sÌýwill reopen with the original breakfast and lunch menu that dates back to 1989.
299 S. Park Ave
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The restaurant at 299 S. Park Ave. will reopen, after a six-year closure, on Friday, June 3, with the original breakfast and lunch menu that dates back to 1989.
Texas Burrito Company
Texas Burrito Company is located at
1570 E. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Marketplace Blvd
Suite 100
520-367-6050
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This new restaurant on ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s south side is run by Jason Scott, whoÌýincorporates his Texan roots and barbecue into traditional Sonoran food.
Ren Bakery and Espresso Bar
Ren Bakery and Espresso Bar opened in the former 8 Degrees Ice Cream & Cookies, an 1,100-square-foot space that already had an oven.
4320 N. Campbell Ave., #43
520-389-8926
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.Ìý
Baked goods from muffins and danish to scones and cinnamon rolls that are used in Ren Coffeehouse nearby, and of course, espresso.
Tanna's Botannas
Marie and Buddy Lozano place their order at Tanna's Botannas, 4426 S. Sixth Ave.
4426 S. Sixth Ave.
520-445-5875
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Spicy candies and snacks are on the menu.
Squared Up Pizza
Squared Up Pizza uses fresh pepperoni and co-owner Mario Badali’s family recipe for Sicilian pies.
5870 E Broadway
520-519-2000
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This pizza spot presents Sicilian pies like you get in New York. Their pies are in the traditional Sicilian square, with a thicker base and crunchy crust.
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Frida's Cafe
Frida's Cafe's Diego Rivera sandwich is a spin on a BLT, with a chile relleno instead of bacon, plus some avocado.
5526 E Grant Road
520-367-4711
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Menu items are inspired byÌýthe famous painter couple, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
The Monica
Chris Ahlers gets some work done in the main dining room near the retractable doors to the patio after lunch at The Monica, 40 E. Congress St.
40 E. Congress St.
520-645-1924
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The Monica opened as an offshoot of El Charro Café. It is named for El Charro's founder Monica Flin and includes a market along with the restaurant.
BoSa Donuts
6872 E. Tanque Verde Road
520-526-2341
BoSa Donuts serves more than donuts and coffee. You can get lunch there with sandwiches and other drinks.
Bun Dock Vietnamese Noodle
3225 N. Swan Road, Suite 111
520-274-7419
The restaurant specializes in Vietnamese Bún (Vermicelli Salad Bowls)
Cruda Mariscos & Oyster Bar
Server Lili Garcia brings drinks to the outdoor dining area in front of the new restaurant Cruda, 31 N. Scott Ave., ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥, Ariz., Feb. 10, 2022.
31 N. Scott Ave.
520-207-0589
Cruda is the newest in a slew of opulent, Mexican-influenced restaurants across ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥. It was opened by Danny Cordova in the space left when his first downtown venture, La Chingada, moved into the former location of the now-closed restaurant Cafe Poca Cosa.
Fullylove's
Pictured is half of the V-Licious Vegan Burger and veggie chips from Fullylove's now in Main Gate Square
994 E. University Blvd.
520-534-7896
This lunch to late-night munchies spot has classic and vegan burgers and sandwiches and sides and a considerable dessert menu.
Guadalajara Grille
Guadalajara’s in Marana has opened with the same classic Mexican dishes as its sister locations in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥.
5955 W. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Pavilions Drive
520-296-4221
This Mexican restaurant at 5955 W. ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Pavilions Drive is the third location for chef-owner Seth Holzman, which include Guadalajara Grill Mexican, 4901 E. Broadway, and Guadalajara Grill Fiesta, 750 N. Kolb Road. It has the same menu of classic Mexican food.
Midtown Vegan Deli and Market
Midtown Vegan Deli and Market wants to make veganism more accessible for all.
5071 E. Fifth St.
520-849-5553
Tanya Barnett started her deli and market out of a desire to make veganism more accessible — for meat eaters and die-hard vegans alike. She asked vegans what ingredients they needed to find and placed them on her first order.
Ni Hao Tea
2800 N. Campbell Ave.
Ni Hao Tea, with this new location, serves Boba tea and smoothies.
The Century Room at Hotel Congress
Shana Oseran spearheaded the idea of opening a jazz club called the Century Room inside Hotel Congress' former Copper Hall. The borderlands jazz and mezcal tasting lounge will open on Feb. 4.
311 E. Congress St.
520-622-8848
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥'s only jazz club, The Century Room borderlands jazz club and mezcal tasting lounge, is in the former Copper Hall banquet space at at Hotel Congress.
The Delta
Owners of the newest downtown restaurant, The Delta. From left, Steve Dunn, Travis Peters and Bryce Zeagler hope to create a “libation and culinary thrill ride.â€
135 S. Sixth Ave.
520-524-3400
The Delta officially opened on New Year’s Day. It is the downtown sister project of local favorite The Parish.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ans might recognize The Parish as a restaurant that transforms an Oro Valley strip mall into a shot of New Orleans. The Delta will feature the same Southern Hospitality it will be a bar with a grill menu instead of the Parish's gumbo.
Bata
Bata takes up 6,000 square feet of the historic 1930s warehouse at 35 E. Toole Ave.
35 E. Toole Ave.
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Bata is owned by Tyler Fenton, who, with two siblings, also owns Reilly Craft Pizza and Drink. The menu will consist of foods touched by fire, whether being grilled, charred, flame dried or burned (on purpose).
Pacaws Wings & Things
6255 E. Golf Links Road
520-526-2857
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
