Birmingham's Zumba Mexican Grille Closes
The small Mexican restaurant on West Maple closes its Birmingham location after opening in June 2011.
There is now one less place to pick up a burrito or taco in downtown Birmingham, after Zumba Mexican Grille, located at 163 W. Maple Rd., closed its doors last week.
"Thank you Birmingham," a sign on the door reads. "It has been our pleasure but we are now closed."
Birmingham's Zumba was the second location for the mexican restaurant, which first opened in Royal Oak in 2000. Zumba opened in Birmingham in June 2011.
According to Zumba's owner, Tim Castaneda, the cuisine at Zumba was inspired by the time he spent traveling in the American Southwest. Serving everything from tacos, to burritos to Castaneda's version of a chimichanga — a Tacon — at Zumba, food is ordered cafeteria style and served with a variety of homemade salsa.
With colorful windows that opened completely to the sidewalk in warm weather, the Birmingham location was bigger than the original Royal Oak location, with more tables — including three outdoors.
In October 2011, Zumba was one of five applicants to apply for a Birmingham bistro license, with the intent of serving frozen margaritas, select wines and Mexican beers. Commissioners passed Zumba over to receive one of the two bistro licenses the city issues each year, citing their disappointment that so few of the applicants looked beyond the downtown area.
As for why Zumba left Birmingham — business was slow, Castaneda told Downtown Birmingham/Bloomfield. "It was the lack of business," he said. "Also, no parking. We did a quarter (of business) there of what we did (in Royal Oak)."
Those looking to get their Zumba fix can visit the original Royal Oak location at 304 N. Main St.
Are you going to miss Zumba?
In This article
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Zumba Mexican Grille
163 W Maple Rd, Birmingham, MI -
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Zumba Mexican Grille
304 N Main St, Royal Oak, MI
Clinton Baller
7:22 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
A bistro license probably would have made the difference between profit and loss for this business, with no ill effects on the city. But the restaurant was doomed by the city's arbitrary limit on the number of new bistro licenses. Too bad. There is a lesson here for the commission, one way or the other.
GW
7:21 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
I don't think a bistro license would have made a spit of a difference. Cosi has a license and sells virtually no beer or wine.
Tim Pamplin
8:24 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
I thought the restaurant at 304 N Main in RO became a Greek eatery.
R. Pratt
8:45 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Zumba's RO moved across the street I believe. It used to be 121 N. Main St. That was the little building. Now it's in that new center called "Main North" across the street at 304 N. Main.
R. Pratt
8:26 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Parking being an issue sounds like poor planning to begin with! Should have located where there was more available!! The license sure would have helped and if I were Tim I would be emphasizing that as a cause for lack of business rather loudly to the city! Maybe it's a veiled threat to close in an attempt to get the license?
R. Pratt
9:39 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
After looking at an aerial map of Bham. There really isn't much parking anywhere and there are plenty of other eateries that haven't closed. Bhamers are used to scant parking and keep the area businesses profitable. Me thinks it's all about the license!
R. Pratt
8:27 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
P.S. I absolutely LOVE Zumba's!!
Kristen
9:13 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Me gusta Zumba! ! !Los tacos son excellentes!
Z-Girl
Bob Kupfer
9:14 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Zumba was a great affordable place for lunch in town. A locally owned business with a business owner who supported local events. It's really a shame that a liquor license is what would have made the difference but, I believe it would have. I would have said a good place for dinner also if they were able to serve liquor. I'm sad to see that they have closed.
Kevin Hart
9:53 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Great place to go in Birmingham. There is no good reason for the city to deny the license. Come on.
R. Pratt
10:07 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Any Bham Zumba patrons notice a lack of business? Was it ever crowded like the R.O. location? How was the lunch crowd?
David Queamante
10:07 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
that's a shame, I was craving a Tacone this week.
Mark Itall
7:08 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Welcome to the Royal Oak Zumba.
Dennis T
10:38 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
What a shame. One of the few places where my wife and I could comfortably go w our grand children and enjoy a casual meal. With Max and Erma leaving that are fewer places that welcome children (including teenagers) and babies. We are eroding our family friendly atmosphere and becoming a place where only the monied or elite can dine in upscale establishments.
CW
10:45 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Roll your own burrito is an absolutely ridiculous idea for a restaurant. Nice try.
R. Pratt
11:51 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
What are you talking about? Roll your own burrito?
CDE
11:21 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Clearly you have never been to Zumba...still have the Royal Oak Zumba--thank goodness.
R. Pratt
5:07 pm on Wednesday, January 9, 2013
I have been to Zumba's many many times and in fact worked for the company that built their first location. Never have I seen anything called "roll your own burrito" on the menu.
If you are talking about the "Bowl-Rito. That is not meant to be rolled. It's a "BOWL" of burrito you heat with a fork.
Bob of RO
4:46 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
I believe CW is referencing the fact the Zumba does not roll their burrito at all. It is served open face style. Almost like a giant taco.
R. Pratt
8:55 am on Saturday, January 19, 2013
They in fact do have rolled burrito's. The BOWLrittos are not meant to be rolled. Hence the word "bowl"! You eat it like a salad! If you decide to roll it I have no problem with that and I have but that is not the intention of the concept of a "Bowlrrito?
Bob of RO
2:09 pm on Saturday, January 19, 2013
R. Pratt, why do you keep bringing up the bowl? It is clear you know nothing of how Zumba serves their burritos in the tortilla. They lay the tortilla down in whatever vessel they serve it and they never again touch the tortilla once the do this. They then place the burrito contents on the tortilla and serve it. The burrito is served open-faced. There is zero rolling action going on behind the counter.
JPS
11:56 am on Monday, January 7, 2013
Downtown Birmingham is great for nice niche women's shops and sit down fine dining but that's about it. Max and Ermas was too run of the mill for Bham. You have to be willing to park in a ramp without any time constraints to browse these businesses. Zumbas easy access parking works great in RO but not on W Maple. You could have the greatest retail concept on the Maple strip and nobody turns their heads while driving by. If you did notice, you can't stop, you just move on down the road. I wouldn't locate there at the rental rates they want -- you will never make it. Even the near by Woodward retail vacancies are so over priced that you wont make it long (as a million cars drive by and don't notice you). Realities of the marketplace, food cost inflation, high rent -- poof gone.
LC Dyle
12:57 pm on Monday, January 7, 2013
Sorry to see it go. I'm a long-time resident, and I agree that there are fewer and fewer places to go for decent meal under $100 for two. ZUMBA was a locally owned business, and our commission should have given weight to that in support of their bistro license application. If all we end up with is chains and steakhouses, then we'll lose our identity as a community-based downtown.
Dennis T
1:02 pm on Monday, January 7, 2013
couldn't agree more. Having lived here for over 30 years I lament that we are losing that sense of being a family focused community to that of the moneyed elite. The loss of yet one more local entrepreneur and the opening of yet another steak house take us further away from our roots. There needs to be room for exceptions and weight given to balance out local flavor over chic bistro's and cocktail joints.
Racer Boy
3:59 pm on Monday, January 7, 2013
Over time, the free market always determines what survives and fails assuming a reasonable product/service is offered. If a taco stand was in big demand it would be flourishing...the other issues (i.e. parking/liquor license) are merely red herrings...check the crowds at the frozen yogurt shop virtually next door as proof. BTW: only about 29% of residences in the Birminingham area have school age children so, that could be a contributing factor when businesses look to Birmingham as viable place in which to locate a so-called family friendly business. That is a difficult problem to fix.
Paul Reagan
6:43 pm on Thursday, January 17, 2013
Stale cardboard passing off as beef. Nope this one was done under by poor quality. Of course 3 or 4 beers might have made up some of the difference.
R. Pratt
3:28 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
I have never had anything even remotely near the quality you describe. Nothing but fresh grilled meats and the freshest produce and freshly made salsas. They have been at the top of MANY food lists for their quality and service! So people that haven't tried Zumba's yet should most definitely do so at their Royal Oak location!
Bob of RO
4:49 pm on Friday, January 18, 2013
My experience at the Royal Oak Zumba, and I have patronized them since they opened, is the quality can be inconsistent. I have had numerous stale tortillas over the years. When they first opened, their steak was fantastic. After a few years they clearly went cheap on the steak. No longer do they have the stewed beef. That was very good.