Many of you know this already, but The Mmoon has officially closed their empanada shop and soccer lounge Downtown. Just like VeggieBox at the SPSM, I feel like the timing of the closure is not so great. Things are turning around Downtown and I hate to think that if they had just stuck around for just a few more months, they would have seen a huge improvement in business. With The Farmer's Union opening next door, San Pedro Square in general heating up, two new high-rises less than a block away, and the new Earthquakes Stadium... it seems they are leaving right before a key inflection point. Anyways, I am sad to see them go as I really enjoyed their empanadas and they were the first in a big wave of unique restaurants to come Downtown. I'm hoping they will have a worthy successor, as I'm sure that space will not be vacant for long.
Dear Loyal Mmoon Customers,
Our Downtown San Jose location (Soccer Lounge) will be
closing permanently effective Tuesday, July 16.
We are consolidating our operations to our Los Gatos store (only 5 miles from San Jose). We will continue to provide all catering and online delivery services and will expand our delivery zone to accommodate customers that have ordered from our San Jose location.
Thank you for your patronage, we look forward to seeing you in Los Gatos.
The sign on the window last night indicates a Pizza joint is taking over. I would have preferred to see something different but at least it won't be vacant.
ReplyDeleteReally? More pizza? It's right next to Amici's, around the corner from Bocca Lupo, and San Jose Pizza Co. is apparently taking over the former Sante Grill space, and of course Sonoma Chicken sells pizzas as well. Market oversaturation?
DeleteI think there's some confusion here, I'm pretty sure Anon is talking about the Sante Grill location.
DeleteNo Confusion - there's a city permit sign in the Mmoon window for what appears to be the new business (Pizza by the slice, or something like that).
DeleteThe creativity was cool but I honestly didn't love the food. Fancy Hot Pockets.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why they failed when other places seem to be doing okay. Points more to mismanagement or landlord issues than problems with Downtown.
I think maybe part of it was the size of the place... it had a huge outdoor patio that never saw much use. That space couldn't have been cheap in the current downtown real estate market.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, there's already someone else moving in, saw them working on changes to the interior space yesterday.
Yeah, too a big a space. They really should of moved to the market before got leased up.
DeleteYin and the yang always prevails in Dt. San Jose as the result of very, very slow city planning and the county health commission taking their sweet time giving businesses the permits and the ok to open their businesses in a quick fashion, therefore, killing the downtown momentum. Had these local officials and the people in planning been quick to give permissions to open the businesses, none of the business would have closed due to businesses feeding of other businesses crowd. There were have been huge momentum and a booming downtown to provide enough customers for everyone. When a business closes, it kills off the momentum. The city and the county never learn!
ReplyDeleteThe Mmoon has been around since 2010, their niche just wasn't big enough for them survive in such a big space. They already have another location so it makes sense to downsize, specially if their lease was up.
DeleteI tried it once. They weren't too bad, but nothing about it really made me want to come back. I agree their space was way too big for what they were selling. And the time I went, which was around lunch time on a weekend, there were only a few patrons there. When I heard they were creating a "soccer lounge," it sounded like they were in trouble. That's too bad though. I think what they really needed to do was to expand past their offerings.
ReplyDeleteAs for Farmers Union, their Yelp reviews have not been very good at all. They definitely need revamp whatever they're doing. =/
I agree w/Anonymous. Their empanadas weren't that great–fabulous dough but the fillings were so meh–canned stuff.
ReplyDeleteI've also been discouraged from trying the Farmers Union (ka-ching) given the consistently poor ratings. Hopefully that will turn around.
The Mmoon might have done Bbetter if they weren't Cclosed just about every time I walked by.
ReplyDeleteI always hate it when restaurants close on Sundays. That is one of the few days I can easily get to Downtown during the day.
DeleteMe too. Also, IIRC they closed fairly early during the weekdays, like 7 or 8. I walk home from Diridon station after work, and always walked by this place...but they were usually closing up or already closed. I would have loved to drop in at least once had they been open.
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