The chips and salsa are being cleared off the tables for good at Rosa's.

The Mexican restaurant at 2025 SE California will serve up its final meals Saturday night, May 17th.

Owner Ric Barron says food prices, gas prices and competition were all factors. He says it was a tough decision to make. He says it began with two smaller restaurants his grandmother ran. His mother, Jennie, then ran it for 19 years before Ric and his wife, Marta, bought it three years ago.

Ric says "it's been an emotional time." He says he's been taken aback by reactions from his customers. He says they've told him it's not just the food they'll miss, but also the family astmosphere.

"There's a lot of love here," Ric said.

Rosa's will be open from 11 am to 9 pm Saturday for customers to get their last taste and say goodbye. Ric says he may also try to open a few days next week if he's financially able.

Statement from Ric and Marta Barron left on customers' tables Friday night:
To all our wonderful customers old and new, due to rising food and gas prices and the ever burdening cost of taxes, Rosa's will not be able to remain open after Saturday. So, Saturday at 9 o'clock p.m. Rosa's will close its doors for the last time. I sincerely apologize for the suddenness of our decision and hurts me deeply to do so but we have no other choice.

So from Marta, Malisa, Trey and Bridgette, Clayton, Zeb, Abe, Micah, Rita, Gina, Michael, DJ, Celso and all the staff at Rosa's we thank you for your patronage, friendship, and love you have given to us the last 2 decades.

May God richly bless each and everyone of you through His Son Jesus and may you find another Mexican restaurant that puts as much love in their cooking as I did.

-Ric and Marta Barron